I just can't stop writing tanka

Good evening! I'm Tsukuda, a book editor and writer who delivers tips to help make life a little easier through writing that resonates with the heart.

I mentioned yesterday that I've fallen into the tanka swamp, but for some reason today, tanka are just pouring out of my head and won't stop. It's as if I've been possessed by a "tanka spirit." That said, it's not unpleasant; in fact, I feel quite exhilarated.

And I've been composing tanka all day since this morning. It's no longer a matter of "writing," but rather "reciting" the words that descend upon me, and my mind is constantly searching for and moving to the rhythm of 5-7-5-7-7.

It's a poem I wrote myself, but this is exactly the state I'm in.

I intend to write about this in my current "Can I recover from depression? diary," but I feel that when you're depressed, you sometimes become overly dependent on something or find yourself unable to stop doing something because you want to forget the pain and suffering.

In that sense, I am currently addicted to tanka. I spent the whole day at my PC writing tanka. I just counted, and I've written nearly 40 poems. But I still don't feel like I've written enough.

Since it uses my brain, I have a severe headache, but while I'm writing, I can get through the negative cognition and suffering common in depression, such as "I want to die" or "I'm no good."

I'm currently waiting for manuscripts for work, so I have time, but if I get busy again, I won't be able to write like this. I'm trying to write tanka that make my heart feel at ease, but since I operate with a negative mindset to begin with, sad and dark poems also emerge.

With a state of mind like that, poems that even surprise me come out. Also, having spent two weeks writing tanka and reading poetry collections and introductory books, what I write has become a bit more polished. There is that joy as well.

Since I'm writing them, I want to get better and create works that reach readers. That desire has also emerged, and it is now becoming a support for my life. If that's the case, I'd like to first consider that I've gained a will to live, which was close to zero until now.

Finally, I'd like to introduce 10 tanka that were born today. I've been posting them to the 57577 tag on X and other social media, but it might be a nuisance to keep posting them in a row, so please let me present them here. I would be overjoyed and do a little dance if you could leave a comment.

The phrase "the sunset smells" came to my mind first, and when I thought about who would be happy smelling the sunset, a "cat dancing a waltz" appeared.

For this one, the phrase "a rainbow blooms" came to mind first, and while I was thinking about what words would be pleasant to the five senses, it turned into this poem.

After the phrase "a dream" came to mind, I wanted to create an impact by slightly breaking the rhythm. So, I introduced "lightning," which is the polar opposite of "Kannon."

It started with the desire to write a tanka on the theme of capitalism, and I wondered what would be impactful if it were bought and sold. Then the keyword "tears" came up, and it came to me while I was thinking about the rhythm of the words.

This is a poem about someone trying to walk toward a hopeful tomorrow while still dragging the weight of a lost love.

I thought of this from the theme of "sunset." It is a poem depicting the happy moment at the beginning of a love.

This is a poem depicting the great power that words inherently possess. Ultramarine refers to the color of ink, and also the light of the universe itself. I added "sweet scent" as another word to stimulate the five senses.

This poem depicts what a poet (someone who writes tanka) does and the sense of liberation after creating a poem. After the word "poet" came to mind, the concept of "heaven, earth, and man" emerged. Since being a poet is a profession with thousands of years of history, I chose slightly archaic words for the latter part.

"I write and write" refers to the state of being completely absorbed in writing tanka and prose, as I am now. While doing that, I thought it was morning, but before I knew it, it had turned into the brilliance of the sunset. It is a poem that superimposes the concept of life onto the flow of time.

Benzaiten is the goddess of the arts among the Seven Lucky Gods. When I couldn't stop writing tanka, I had a delusion that perhaps Benzaiten had granted me this talent. It is a poem that hides the determination to take that talent with me even to the bottom of hell.

Now that I can't stop writing tanka, I want to write poems that make people who are struggling in life feel relieved or gain strength, with the intensity of "taking it to the bottom of hell." In a sense, I want to create "word amulets."

And once I have collected a certain number, I will make them into a poetry collection. I want to challenge myself with awards and spend my days with writing as my "support for living." I will live tomorrow covered in tanka as well. Nothing would make me happier than if you could support my way of life.

Thank you for reading until the end.

I am always encouraged by your likes and follows.
Thank you so much!

I will continue to do my best so that this note becomes a place where everyone can heal their weary hearts and gather strength for a fresh start. Thank you for your continued support.

By the way, I am also on X, and my account is
https://x.com/toto_books . I would be happy if you could follow me.
I post about tanka and books I like.
May you have a happy day!



#EnjoyGreetings
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