Here are some sample tanka from Thames Way. Thames Way was published in 2015 by Alba Publishing (http://www.albapublishing.com). If you wish to get a copy of Thames Way please contact me using the contact page.
I wrote Thames Way when I walked the River Thames from London city to its source during the summers of 2011 and 2012. The collection reflects my journey.
There are some differences between haiku and tanka. Haiku are usually in three lines but can be arranged in one line, two lines or even in four lines. Tanka are always in five lines. In terms of subject matter and treatment tanka generally allow the writer to put themselves into the poem more so than haiku. Tanka kind of tell a story more so than haiku. Personally I treat tanka as ‘roomy’ haiku that allow more freedom.
pungent grass, cowslip
bull thistle, bluebell
in the docklands –
a grasshopper beats in synch
to the drilling
fountain water sprays
up and down
with children laughing –
one mother reaches
for a quick kiss
foam and scum
whirl in the canal
dancing atoms –
galaxies circle
in space
water
over the wide wear
echoing
long after I have
moved on
I come across
a couple who wait
for me to smile
as I wait for them to smile –
we pass on
a bubble goes
round and round
in the puddle –
I go on and on
in rain or sunshine
crickets sing
to each other
with fast wings –
the air humid
with desire
my legs resting
at last
journey’s end
dust settles
on the train platform
Diarmuid Fitzgerald 