Home » Poems » tanka » family

Family Tanka Poems

These Family Tanka poems are examples of Tanka poems about Family. These are the best examples of Tanka Family poems written by international poets.

Smitten by Kitten Disinterest

never loved cat ways
their tail-flicking arrogance
their unasked-for gaze
my family longed for one —
I yielded, keeping distance

stray kitten arrived
they all fawned gushed over it
but the cat

Categories: cat,

Tanka-Haiku Surprise

On a sunny day,
we went to get a dogie.
Driving the back roads,
Excitement was in the air.
Would our new pet be waiting?

We looked all over,
surprise ~

Categories: tanka, car, day, family, fun,

Multiple Different Selves


with my family,
my soft heart tenderly beats.
tough outside my home;
my mind focuses on things
nostalgic when I'm alone.

Categories: self,

The Loves of My Life

   the Lord has blessed me.  
       I'm forever indebted

Categories: blessing, family, love,

The Loves of My Life

Pictures and trophies
Of those I love on mantel
Heartfelt memories
Of a Sailor's love and loss
Sweetly swept me off my feet

3/18/2025

Categories: family,

My First Poem


wrote my first poem
to remember loved ones gone
some were old some young
read at a reunion 
the fading of candlelight

Categories: family, remember, tribute,

Reply to Unannounced

Your pain is shared, Jim;
I go to annoy by car,
not quite on a whim,
to relatives who chatter
‘bout things I'm assured matter.

Categories: family, travel,

a scene in their eyes

my kids once called me
the walking problem solver
~ I am the problem
they are to resolve ~ failure
I lose ~ objectives they win

Categories: appreciation, family, farewell, growing

Dad’s Eyes

I recall Dad’s eyes;
his glare so stern, so piercing 
- no words were needed -
but the message was so clear:
I expect better from you.

In many

Categories: appreciation, family,

Then and Now


        That was then when we 
         studied using pen

Categories: love,

My New Foster Mom

my new foster mom
stays one step ahead of me
planting seeds of forgiveness;
unlike my step mom
who merely plowed up my heart

Categories: 11th grade, family, forgiveness,

Odds and Ends

barely adult male
lacking abilities needs
aimless future trials~
driven working family 
young man dies by drunk driver

Categories: allusion, analogy, death, drink,

Smiling Autumn Faces

A slight comic gust
as vivid  autumn colour
turns laughing  dervish
we sense  the quasi-winter
prelude to Halloween fare

Back to school urchins
scream with joy to spite

Categories: autumn, beautiful, beauty, color,

Motherhood

How lovely it is,
Birthing child on Mother's Day.
An example of
Someone who has made her way
To fulfilling motherhood.

Categories: baby, blessing, child, family,

Oasis


                death colours' season

Categories: adventure, allegory, allusion, blessing,