Learn More: see sample poems praise from our readers about the journal a history of tanka a tanka bibliography American Tanka in the media about the founder

tanka: the focused moment in our modern world Founder (and Editor from 1996-2008): Laura Maffei Executive Director of American Tanka, Inc. (not-for-profit): Tim Younce NOTE: American Tanka is on hiatus while a new incarnation is being developed. Please check back here in the late fall of 2010. A tanka is a five-line poem that evokes a single moment with vivid precision and emotional veracity. From those who never liked poetry before to those who are experts in the field, people find the experience of tanka exhilarating. Come and discover it. Experience the focused moment in your life and the lives of others.              riding a bus              through the Oklahoma heat              an old woman              tells everything that matters              to someone else's son                      ~ Marc Thompson, American Tanka Issue 4 American Tanka, Inc. is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) corporation. Our purpose is to provide a beautiful print for the publication of the best and most vivid tanka being written in English today, and to promote the reading and writing of tanka poetry worldwide. We are qualified to receive tax-deductible bequests, gifts and donations. These will help us increase the frequency of publication of the journal and engage in outreach programs to widen the readership for tanka poetry. To order a copy or to send a tax-deductible donation, click on a button to the right, or send a check or money order payable to "American Tanka, Inc." to:         Tim Younce         4906 W. State Route 55         Troy, OH 45373 Or contact Mr. Younce with inquiries at: atanka [at] earthlink [dot] net. More About Tanka Poetry 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. 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). Click on the appropriate button to the right, or send a check or money order payable to American Tanka, Inc., care of Tim Younce, 4906 W. State Route 55, Troy, OH 45373. Click here for a list of back issues.

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