Reflections

Winter Tanka Poems

The following winter Tanka poems were provided by Sr. Rita Theresa Goulet. We have attempted to complement her words with fitting images. Many thanks to Sr. Rita Theresa Goulet.

For those unfamiliar with Tanka poetry, a tanka is a classical Japanese form of unrhymed poetry, meaning “short poem,” traditionally written as a single line of 31 syllables, but commonly adapted into five lines (5-7-5-7-7 syllables) in English to express feelings, often using nature imagery to reflect on personal emotions, much like a longer haiku. The structure sometimes features a pivotal “turn” in the third line, connecting the initial descriptive part (first two lines) with the concluding personal reflection (last two lines).