Brendan Slater - Three Questions (Tanka)

Brendan Slater is a father and software developer from Stoke-on-Trent, England. He has been writing Japanese short form poetry since 2009. Brendan's work has been published in Ribbons, The Heron's Nest, Notes from the Gean, Presence, Acorn, Pirene's Fountain, DailyHaiga, Tinywords and Lynx.

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1) Why do you write tanka?

Tanka gives me the freedom to use emotion overtly that haiku does not. Even though I started with haiku I found it too constrained and was not able to express my ideas fully, tanka allows me to do this.


2) What other poetic forms do you enjoy?

I enjoy all Japanese short forms, free-verse, and I am partial to English romantic verse.

3) Of the many wonderful tanka you've written, what do you consider to be your top three?

lost
under the stars
with nothing
but whispered insults
from the wind

Ribbons 6.2



face to face
in a world of sound bites
I listen
to what you read
between my lines

Ribbons 6.3



tonight
the tender moon
is waning
I mould myself around you
breathe when you breathe

Notes from the Gean 2.2

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If you've been enjoying this series and have not contributed, please consider sharing your response - whether it be for haiku or tanka - to the three little questions that Brendan answered. You must be a published poet in order to participate.