Poetry Challenge #10: Tanka

As always, before we get started, check out all the wonderful limericks submitted over the past week here. 

The Tanka is another Japanese form of poetry, popular among the noble class. Like haiku, it was a form popular for poetry contests, but it was also popular as a way for couples to express their affection toward one another. The tanka has five lines of 5, 7, 5, 7, and 7 syllables, respectively. Most tanka have a "turn" similar to a sonnet, where an image explored in the first three lines gives way to an exploration of the personal response evoked by the image. 

I have had a very difficult time coming up with an example I like of this form, despite reading from several sources that the terrific American poet Amy Lowell wrote several of them. Perhaps a reader will kindly point me in the right direction. Until then, I guess I'll move on to my example. 

Water curls around

like fingers of lovers’ hands

caressing the beach.

Combined with my family,

I can ask for nothing more.

You can read more about tanka here. Sorry for the lack of examples, but I didn't want to give you a bad one, and it's late and I need my sleep to chase after my toddler in the morning. Have fun!