Japan and Poetry

In English class we've been working on quick, efficient, and sound analysis of poems, especially on initial encounter, in preparation for the AP Literature exam. While I won't be taking the exam (I already satisfied my whole humanities requirement for college last year!), the idea of poetic structure was interesting to me, so I did some research about poetry in Japan. While most grade school-aged Americans could tell you about Haiku, there are some other important forms.

Haiku- Old, shortest, originated by Basho. Have always contained a set number of syllables, even though originally had up to 100 verses versus the now common 1 verse of 17 syllables. Typically written about nature or daily life.

Here's one from Basho:

Fallen sick on a journey,
In dreams I run wildly
Over a withered moor.

Tanka- Older, longer. Typically written after an important event, focused on feelings and depth. Uses vivid imagery to discuss and issue of personal passion.

Here's a few verses from one:

as I sit in thought

she moves briskly

around the room,

stirring the chill

in the air

this complete enigma

of me wanting more solitude

then company in turn

on my terms

at just the right time

Ranga- More of a form of entertainment/game than poem. Allows two people to co-write a poem by adding on to each other. Can last up to 100 verses. Played at parties, and requires quick thinking and humor.

Here are a few verses from a poem:

silencing

the foursome at bridge

geese fly south

a rim of ice on the pond
oak leaves float on the water ** (Joyce Shriver)

silencing
the foursome at bridge
geese fly south
a splash on the river
circling ripples swirl ** (Donna Thomas)

If you're interested in reading more Japanese poetry in general, check here.

These styles of poetry have been adapted to English, but probably are more beautiful in the original Japanese. Regardless, poems in any culture express ideas personal and societal, and while the structure surely influences how ideas are expressed, the ideas themselves certainly do not change to the same extent. The skills we develop to understand poetry in one language are probably also applicable to analyzing poems from another. A poet's method of piecing together words and choosing them always reveals a deeper side of a poem than could be acquired by simply reading.