Animals Tanka Poems | Examples
These Animals Tanka poems are examples of Tanka poems about Animals. These are the best examples of Tanka Animals poems written by international poets.
an almost autumn
scene unfolds outside window....
purple flowers bloom
yellow butterflies flit fast
mexican petunias wave
occasionally birds
come into view and hummers....
brown rabbit nibbles plants
a break in the fence somewhere
small animals enter there
summer swiftly flies
soon cooler nights, drier air....
hummers migrate south
mexican petunias die
birds at feeders seen outside
Desert thorns that sting.
Careful desert animals.
Both have great instinct,
Finding safety together.
Not permanent for either.
Scurrying people
windy city wind whistling
Wet animals flee
Blue thunder, silver slick streets
Hued blooms close their perfumed rooms.
A flock of large birds
or a fleet of small small planes
is speeding towards me.
NO! It's worse--mosquitoes!
I failed to use repellent!
I grab my swatter.
They slap it away, laughing--
my baseball bat too.
I’ll need a tub of itch cream,
maybe a transfusion.
The females descend
to feast on me; the males watch,*
rendering support
with cheering and clapping.
Next time I’ll use spray with DEET.
*Male mosquitoes do not bite living things; they can only consume sugary
fluids and thus do not bite or suck the blood of humans or animals. This was news to me!
August 21, 2021
entered in the Buggy Tanka Contest
Sponsor: M.L. Kiser
ELEPHANT GRASS
Long Elephant Grass
Typical class, long narrow.
Herbivores eat well,
Edible as well by us.
Make soup with young leaves and root.
Elephant grass field,
hiding park of small rabbits,
little animals.
Plant eating animals graze.
Prey and predator play games.
05/18/18
Animals just know
The praying mantis looks above
The clam closes down
The turtle’s head hides inside
The spider seizes the fly
Like in a movie
Where no animals were harmed
So are these poems
Not killing my heart's wildlife
Knowing how much you love life
Closed for visitors,
Traveling in a balloon
A fantasy zoo
Invisible to the world
Some animals can be heard
last breath
thanking the plants and animals
that have sustained me
my ancestors I honor
and the spirit enfolding me
ZERO
it’s so cold
where do outdoor animals go
to stay alive
two black crows caw cawing
from a tree top
sun’s out
you’d never know
it’s zero outside
cat wants out
but just one sniff…
zero outside
wind chill 10 below
so says weather man jack
thoughts of getting up
smothered in covers
it’s so cold outside
everything has turned blue
my face my hands
buried
‘neath a blue comforter
10 below
this vet gone crazy –
“sniper guns down 6
2 dead 4 critical
at the weather bureau
Dave Austin
Randy Hoards Brandy
Locks his stash secretly
Basement waterloggs
His animals go fuzz fuzz
Singing Glory to the keeper
Stalking,.....waits awhile
She inhales the woodland airs.....
Animals beware......
Nose to tail the vixen stares.......
Fixated,....... her prey beguiles.....
SPRING THAW
what a sorry sight
the poor drowned grass muddied o’er
dirty snow with tracks
but the skies are thankful for
a chance to the earth restore
and the animals
seem to walk with quicker step
breathing earth’s freshness
are aware but not pensive
accepting nature’s goodness
SPRING THAW
what a sorry sight
the poor drowned grass muddied o’er
dirty snow with tracks
but the skies are thankful for
a chance to the earth restore
and the animals
seem to walk with quicker step
breathing earth’s freshness
are aware but not pensive
accepting nature’s goodness
ANIMALS
how they sniff the wind,
far away look in their eyes,
what are they thinking?
or is thought necessary,
vital to consciousness?
i say they sense god’s
heaven of simplicity,
his love for all things,
accept the world just as is,
accept life and death alike