【Arbitrary Spring ~ With Awards & Tanka】
The Tanka category began last spring with the "Space Cup".
Following the summer "Crane & Turtle Cup," autumn "Izayoi Cup," winter "Polar Bear Cup,"
and now this Lilac Cup, it has reached its 5th installment✨
"Space Cup" 141 people (335 poems)
"Crane & Turtle Cup" 124 people (336 poems)
"Izayoi Cup" 132 people (332 poems)
"Polar Bear Cup" 149 people (382 poems)
"Lilac Cup" 148 people (389 poems)
A great many people participated in the "Lilac Cup" as well, and about 30% of them were first-time participants in the Tanka category.
I am sure many new encounters were born from this🍀
That is a wonderful thing.
Every person's Tanka had their own individuality and charm, but as an arbitrary award,
I have selected 8 Tanka that I "especially like"☺️
(The order is by submission time)
【ricochet5】
The pale night cherry blossoms at Chidorigafuchi
light a flame in both our hearts
At night, the cherry blossoms float vaguely in the light-up.
And a light is kindled in the hearts of the two.
I feel as though the pale, white-shining cherry blossoms and the light that has been kindled in their hearts are echoing one another.
The surroundings might be bustling with people viewing the night cherry blossoms, but I thought the time flowing between these two must be very quiet and warm.
【Koredemo-kaasan】
Vanishing together with the fragments of night cherry blossoms
The moon heard the resolve of the two
Words like night cherry blossoms, fragments, together, vanishing, and resolve.
I think night cherry blossoms usually look very fantastical, but I have a feeling the "night cherry blossoms" referred to here are not the ones being lit up.
Vanishing together with those fragments of night cherry blossoms.
It makes my imagination run wild wondering what kind of resolve these two had, which only the moon heard.
The strength of the entire Tanka comes through, enough to live up to the word "resolve."
【Kosuke Yagi】
Seven years ago, little you sprouted
Today, a full-bloom graduation smile
The expression "little you sprouted" is wonderful.
It makes me imagine a very small and adorable child.
The phrase "graduation smile" also left an impression on me.
Using the word "smile" instead of "egao" (Japanese for smile) gives it a very light resonance, and the word "full-bloom" brings to mind a beaming face.
Reading it made me feel very happy.
【Olavu153】
With a little child in a spinning skirt
Petals dance as if to join the dance
A skirt spinning round and round.
I can see a little girl jumping around so energetically that her skirt is spinning.
Cherry blossom petals are dancing there.
It is as if the cherry blossom petals were drawn to this happy-looking girl and started dancing too. The petals themselves feel somewhat happy.
Pictures and images also floated into my mind.
【Momoco】
Petals swaying in the wind high in the sky
Touching the soft earth for the first time
The phrase 'the soft earth I touch for the first time' left a lasting impression on me.
And it is written as 'tsuchi' (in hiragana) rather than the kanji for earth.
Since it is 'spring,' there were many tanka that used the word 'petal,' but I thought the way this one captured the petals was very unique.
The petals almost seem human.
That the first thing they touched was the soft earth.
I wonder how the petals felt.
【Yuzu-san】
Worrying if I cut my bangs too short,
I wrap a spring shawl in front of the mirror.
I can picture the scene at this moment. You are about to head out.
I felt that rather than meeting a friend, you might be meeting someone you have feelings for, or perhaps someone you are dating.
The fluttering heart and the movements of your mind at that time are conveyed as if I could touch them.
Expressing such delicate movements of the heart within daily life through tanka.
It is something that seems easy, but is actually quite difficult to do.
【Apricot-san】
I feel relieved confirming the sound of 'I'm home,'
The day's events of my quiet child.
A quiet child.
When your child comes home, you want to ask what kind of day they had, but they don't talk much.
So, you listen to the sound of their 'I'm home' as if to confirm the day's events.
You want to ask, but you cannot. Yet, you are very concerned.
From the words 'sound of I'm home' and 'feel relieved,' that is strongly felt.
Your deep love for your child comes through.
【Naomi-san】
The moon floating on the shore of the sky before it is full,
If I touch it gently, it sways gracefully.
The sea that is the sky.
The waves are very still.
The moon floating in the sea of the sky.
If I were to gently touch the moon floating on that shoreline, it would sway gracefully.
I felt something like a subtle movement of the heart, as if to say, if you were to gently touch my heart, which is like the moon floating on the shoreline,
my heart would...
The choice of words and the method of expression truly resonate with the five senses.
And finally,
With gratitude to everyone,.....From Spring~ 🌸
This comes with a little bonus ☺️.
