January's Tan-Ku

"January is the month to let go of fear and embrace transformation." - AI

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When the Poetry Sisters (Tanita, Laura, Mary Lee,  Liz, Sara, Tricia, and  Kelly) announced their January challenge, write a tan-ku, a tanka followed by a haiku, I paused because I was unaware of this poetic format. It was time to pick up the snow shovel and dig deep. I started by staring at my photos sharing winter's dazzling scenes of quietude. Then, I turned on the world news with updated reports on the world's sadness. So I picked up my computer mouse and began to compose a tan-ku. It was time to embrace a new format. 

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This worked for me but I decided to concentrate on the mentor poem, Hubrus by Marko Kiakubo & Deborah P. Kolodji the Poetry Sister offered. My first poem did not look as terse as Kiakubo's and Kolodji's poem, so once again with a shovel in hand, I paused to create another poem. 

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Winter Frame

through

the clearest

window

of our traveling car

nature stands still

one frozen moment

clear sky blinks

world tears-up

©CVarsalona, 2025

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Dear Readers, I appreciate any comment you have on my first tan-ku.

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Special Invitation

I am hosting Poetry Friday next week at my Beyond LiteracyLink blog. Join me on February 7th as I honor Valentine's Day, a love-note to the rest of the year (Jo Lightfoot). Please join me by creating your own heartnote, valentine, poem, digital artwork, etc.  I look forward to seeing the variety of imaginative work that will brighten the Heartnotes Padle that you can find here.

Valentine's Day is the poet's holiday! - Ted Koosner, Poet

Let's gather to honor "love as the poetry of the senses"!

(Honore de Balzac)

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The Poetry Friday Roundup is brought to us this week from Florida. Our wonderful host, Jan Annino at bookseedstudio, offers interesting information and much poetic goodness.