Dr. Hisashi Nakamura in the Garden


Soleil Paints


Queen Soleil paints daily 
she was taught his famous brush stroke
bleeding feathers of
 topaz gold n' daylilies

© Ellen Wilson
 

   
 



 Fabric of Our Lives


Spinning puffy white clouds  
on Earth's barbed skeleton
snow climbs towards kite blue sky
spun sugar in bits and bolls   
Cumulus is in style now


© Ellen Wilson





Sugar Doll


Sugar doll's growing
in a field of yellow stars  
 Fiesta's red passion
 hides in loud lime stripes   
soon thump sugar baby awake



© Ellen Wilson






Lunar's Games



Majestic Lunar  
perches in a sea of black
she plays connect the dots and
hide n' seek, and reads her daily scope
she glows pale where dark mysteries shine  



© Ellen Wilson




Here is a link to some of my other tanka poems. 


  

 Over in the Garden, Kerry introduced us to Dr Hisashi Nakamura.  

  His Thoughts on Tanka 
~Hisashi Nakamura~

How I came to write tanka in English. 


"I began to write tanka in English around 2005 after reading Japanese classical tanka quite extensively. I had never dreamed of writing tanka in a foreign language although I started writing free verses in Japanese when I was in my high teens. I tried to write tanka in English because of a unique combination of circumstances."  


Kerry:  Our challenge today, is to explore the tanka form as presented here by Dr Nakamura. There is no limit to the number of tanka you may write, and you may also share older examples of tanka you have written, if you prefer. Dr Nakamura has shown great interest in our writing group and a link to this prompt will be forwarded to him, so he can pay us a visit in the Imaginary Garden.


I just love this form and look forward to writing more!   Thank you Dr. Nakamura!
Thank you Kerry~

Comments

I really like the second one!
And we see a lot of the fields right now, don't we?
Ella said…
Hi Alex-I love how it looks like snow :D Yes, we do! I do hope you aren't allergic~
Laura said…
Ella these are beautiful... your tankas and your photos, thank you.
Grace said…
I recall some of these tanka ~ Beautiful pictures and words Ella ~
Brian Miller said…
nice...i rather like that moon tanka...it hits just right for me...and the cloud one too...that pic of the little melon is very cool...hope you had a great weekend...smiles.
Marian said…
oooh, love these, especially that first one and this great line: "Cumulus is in style now."
Kerry O'Connor said…
Each photo/tanka combination is a work of art, Ella. I have long been an admirer of your ability to see with the photographer's eye the infinite details of nature and then translate that into words. The tanka form seems perfect for this task.
L. Diane Wolfe said…
I love the poem about the moon as well as the shot.
Margaret said…
Well - beautiful words... but he last IMAGE! You did an amazing job capturing the moon this autumnal equinox
Morgan said…
Oh gosh... I LOVE the lunar pic... but all of your words are incredible, Ella. You never cease to amaze me!
Nick Wilford said…
I haven't come across this form before. I'm in awe of how you conjure up all these images and create a mood in a few words. I couldn't do it!
Ella said…
Hi Nick-Yes, you could! Just think of your senses when you see something :D You are sweet-Thank you!

Morgan-It isn't mine...but I too love it! YOU are too kind-thank you so much~

Margaret-I wish that was my photo...I listed the credit *****.
It is gorgeous! Thank you~

L.Diane-Thank you! I wish the moon pic was mine-it isn't...but I will try. We have a telescope-maybe I can use my zoom through it?! :D

Kerry-Thank you so much! I have been taken photos-for years. I do think photography is visual poetry. I love the chance to blend the two! Thank you for this glorious prompt and your kind, heart warming words! @>--------
I love the tanka form

Marian-lol Thank you! YOU should see the cotton growing right now. When you drive by it resembles a field of snow. :D

Brian-The melon is actually a Mexican Gherkin grape. I was comparing being pregnant in the poem. I looked like I swallowed a watermelon when I was pregnant with my daughter. The weight made me look a lot younger, than I was. My husband would get dirty looks! ;D Thank you~

Loredana-Thank you it was fun! I loved yours :D

Grace-Thank you so much :D

Loredana-It isn't my pic-but I too love it-thank you~

Laura-Thank you! I will stop by-your photos are always outstanding :D


Hannah said…
Wow, Ella! You have a way with these!! Each one is a unique little glimpse of youness!! I love the sugarbaby one!!
manicddaily said…
These are all very charming and understated==something I find almost impossible. Well done, Ella. k.
Ella said…
Hi Karin-Thank you so much ;D
@>-------------

Hannah-I love sugarbaby too...thank you! It is a Mexican Gherkin grape-crazy to see grow. I try something new in my garden each year. :D
@>-------------