The Tanka

A Syllable is the sound of a vowel Created when pronouncing a word Tanka’s require you to count them At first this seems quite absurd These non-rhyming poems are written To challenge and test your skill At first they seem quite simple But they’ll certainly test your will Once your poem has been drafted Count your syllables again, and again Remember the ancient formula Because Tanka’s are unique in this game Subtract any silent vowels Like ‘e’ at the end of a word Then source any hidden diphthongs That’s when two vowels make one, when heard Now you realise the difficulty Of compiling such a simple verse Writing a Tanka poem Is more complex than you once thought at first