How to use our Tanka Checker
Have you ever wondered, "Is this a Tanka"? Well, now you can find out.
To get started, type 5 lines of text into the textbox above.
Tanka poems follow a 5-7-5-7-7 format. The first line of a Tanka has to be 5 syllables, the second line 7 syllables, the third line 5 syllables, the fourth line 7 syllables and the fifth line 7 syllables.
There are five syllable count boxes above the textbox that will display the syllable count of each of the five lines in real-time and let you know if you go over the syllable or line limit.
To copy the contents of the tanka checker, or also known as a tanka syllable counter, simply click the "copy text" button and it will copy all the text within the textarea.
Tanka - A Poetic Form for the Past and the Present
One of the most interesting things about poetry, whether you write or read it, is the number of poetic forms that have evolved over the centuries. Some are simple, some very complex, and some seem to appear as a result of combining existing forms.
For those of us interested in trying out new styles, digging into the origins and evolution of forms can be a very worthwhile undertaking. That research can provide insights that help use a form effectively, or find the form that best suits an idea you might have for a poem.
One form that illustrates many of the points above is the tanka. It's an ancient Japanese form that combines elements of other forms and has, like many others, evolved over the years, as poets took liberties with the “rules”. It's also had an effect on the evolution of some other forms.
Many poets have used its nuances to create highly memorable pieces. It's a great foundation for developing strong imagery and emotional phrasing. You may, after this introduction, find yourself anxious to try your hand at utilizing its unique rhythmic structure to enhance your words.
A Bit of Tanka History
Let's start with the etymology of the word, itself. Tanka is thought to have originated in the eighth century AD and literally meant “short poem” or “short song”. It was used, at the time, for differentiation.
Its antonym was “choka”, which designated a “long poem”. During the following two centuries, most Japanese poems were short, and the term “waka”, meaning, “Japanese poetry” became the most common term. It wasn't until the twenty-first century that the modern tanka form originated.
Bear in mind, there's always some ambiguity where ancient history and translations are concerned, so there will probably be sources that disagree with those statements. That's typical of any history, and I make no claims of absolute accuracy.
Speaking of ambiguity, let me add that there's some of that where the word is concerned, too. Traditionally, the plural form of “tanka” is “tanka”. Because we English speakers can't seem to leave well enough alone, “tankas” is listed as an optional plural form in many modern English dictionaries. “Tanka” is more common in stories, guides and books about poetry, and, as you can see in this article, it's my preferred form. Use whichever suits your personal preference.
Modern Tanka Structure
Today's tanka poems follow a 31-syllable pattern, laid out as 5-7-5-7-7. If you're familiar with poetic forms, you'll recognize the first three-line structure, the kami-no-ku, or “upper phrase” as that of a haiku or senryu. The following couplet of 7-syllable lines is known as the shimo-no-ku, which, as you've probably guessed, means “lower phrase”.
Interestingly, the modern version was defined by Masaoka Shiki, a Japanese poet who is also credited with coining the name “haiku” as a 5-7-5 poem that stood alone, rather than the “hokku”, which originally described the introductory lines of a “regna” poem.
As you can see, poetry evolution can be both complex and multi-threaded, just like the evolution of a species or language.
Some Original Examples
To illustrate only the basic syllabic structure, here's a pair of original tanka about tanka:
What Tanka Are
tanka are poems
that look like haiku on top
just like this one here
but they have two lines added
on the bottom just like this
Except When They're Not
some poets break rules
and add a line or syllable
but that's okay, friends.
we can do eight syllables here,
and put our seven down here.
The form above is ji-amari and is perfectly acceptable. Other sub-forms have been created over time. ji-tarazu is 5-7-5-7-6, while 5-7-5-9-5 and 8-4-5-7-7 are other acceptable forms. Tanka has obviously become a very liberal form.
You may have noticed the lack of capitalization in my examples above. That's another trait of traditional tanka; the first letters of lines are not capitalized. Many poets don't adhere to that tradition, so it's not unusual to see those letters capitalized. On the other extreme, you may occasionally see the entire poem written as one line.
Tanka and Sonnets
Sonnets and Tanka are structurally and literally comparable in many ways. A common mechanism in many tanka is an element that also appears in sonnets.
The poem's content may be separated by a “turn” in the intent of the words. The first part of the poem will be intended to create imagery. The second will be more reflective, describing the emotional experience and/or resolution.
The term for the turn, or “pivot” in the poem is “volta” and it typically occurs after the third line, where the change in structure happens.
Literary critics tend to look for the volta and analyze it in their reviews of a tanka, just as they will with a sonnet. So, if you're planning to “put your tanka out there”, you may want to make sure the transition is evident and well-placed.
Both forms also tend to lend themselves well to themes of love, romance, loss or longing, and intense emotion.
Prevalence in Japanese Culture and Elsewhere
Tanka, in all its forms, is popular in Japanese music, and newspapers have featured tanka columns. It has retained, or perhaps regained its importance in Japan. It isn't at all isolated, however, as poets worldwide have published incredible works that use its meter for strikingly beautiful poems.
This poetic form established itself in an anthology of over four thousand tanka poems. It has withstood the tests of time and cultural change, while morphing into a wide range of sub-forms.
Along the way, it spawned one of poetry's most popular forms: the haiku. All in all, it's a significant part of poetry, historically and currently.
Give it a Try
Whether or not the tanka form appeals to your sense of history, I'd encourage you to experiment with it yourself. If you need some inspiration, a Google search will give you plenty of examples from the past and present.
I hope you've enjoyed this look at tanka.