John Anderson Poet Tanka

Notes About The Poem

“Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” – Confucius 
The true measure of success is how many times you can bounce back from failure.” – Stephen Richards 
“The human capacity for burden is like bamboo — far more flexible than you’d ever believe at first glance.” – Jodi Picoult

This poem uses the form Tanka Triptych - a trio of Tankas that develops the topic.

Listen to poem:

Ride the arc to rise between falls

fall down, up again —
smooth stone skips across the pond
each strike rings louder
on its own trajectory
vaulting bouncing once again

bamboo bends in wind
its defiance scars its skin
but it sways unbowed
dancing with rhythm resilient
on seesaw swinging wide ride

taste ash on my tongue
before the fire sets ablaze
to embrace failure
in bread of my own making
kneading loaves for noble rise

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