Tanka is the modern name of a form of Japanese verse that dates back
over twelve centuries. Older than haiku, tanka differs from haiku
in both its form (31 syllables) and its style of expression.
In Japan, tanka has long been considered the most important form of
Japanese poetry.
In recent decades, not only have western readers begun to
discover Japanese-language tanka through originals
and translations, but western poets have begun to explore the power of the
tanka form in their own languages.
It is probably not an exaggeration to say that
when many people first discover tanka, they experience
a revelation about the power of poetry in their lives,
as if they at last understand the transformative emotional
significance both of reading others' words and of writing one's own
poetry. Around the world, tanka poetry is making poets
out of those who never would have thought of writing a poem
before, and it's giving experienced poets new power and resonance and
immediacy.
Founded in 1996, American Tanka is dedicated exclusively to presenting contemporary English-language tanka.
Published yearly, the journal has a world-wide circulation and its
list of contributors regularly includes many of the most well-known
tanka poets of today.
Edited by its founder,Laura Maffei,
the journal strives to give every
poem its particular significance by following a "one poem per page"
philosophy in print.
American Tanka invites you to discover the power and beauty of
the tanka form. The price for a single issue is $12 U.S./$14 outside the
U.S. (includes shipping and handling). Or subscribe and receive two issues
(one per year) for $20 U.S./$24 outside the U.S. Click on the appropriate button above, or send a check or money order payable to American Tanka, care of Tim Younce, 4906 W. State Route 55, Troy, OH 45373 and please indicate whether you are subscribing, ordering a single issue, or ordering back issues (and which ones).
Click here for a list of back issues.
