Tanka Reviews "Yomu-Yomu" ~Creative Awards Edition~ Part 12

Greetings.
I am currently doing "Yomu-Yomu," an attempt to read works from the Creative Awards and compose tanka poems as reviews.

To those who commented on the article above, thank you so much. I am reading the works you entrusted to me in parallel. Once I finish reading and have prepared the tanka, I will post them in groups of 3 to 4. (I apologize that this is not in the order of comments.)

Now, I will introduce your works along with the tanka.

If readers feel curious about "what kind of story is this?" after reading the tanka, there is nothing that would make me happier. Please enjoy the wonderful works at the links provided.

Kyokuya-san

There is no future beyond this.

Holding the dead-end street where the name I call out scents the air, I drift into a doze.

Spending time alone with him, a teacher who is kind to everyone. However, it is a dead-end street where I cannot move forward. Yet, strangely, it is comfortable, and I find myself calling his name even when he is not there. I composed this tanka imagining that perhaps his "dead-end" street is not just a cul-de-sac, but a place that wraps around her. It was a work I could quietly immerse myself in on a lonely night.

Nakazuki-san / Kyotano-san

Tom the Candle Keeper

I place my palm on my chest like a gentle breeze, so that he may sleep tonight.

This is a work I have personally remembered many times since reading it. When I think of the small light in my heart, even when I "waver," I feel as if the candle keeper is watching over me, and I find myself tearing up, especially during this sensitive time. Thank you for always watching over me. But I thought that if I kept wavering, he wouldn't be able to sleep, so I decided to make a gentle breeze with my palm tonight.

Yuzu-san

My center is dry and calm.

Because even your voice dissolves at the bottom of the water, I pluck just a single bubble.

Watching the protagonist gradually become attracted to the fascinating woman named Yua-san, I was reminded of the sirens from Greek mythology. I imagined that the single bubble the protagonist found while sinking, unable to forget her, was something that, while shaped like a bubble disappearing on the water's surface, existed enough to be plucked, and perhaps this is what allowed him to return.

That is all for this time.

"Yomu-Yomu" has reached part 12 (36 poems). Some time has passed since the last one, but I have finished my own work, so I am resuming.

The comments and tanka review articles from everyone have been very encouraging, and I am very grateful. I apologize for the delay in my replies, but I am responding to them slowly.

The images are made with Canva. I really enjoy thinking about the photo materials, fonts, and layout. You are more than welcome to download, save, and share the images on social media, so please feel free to take them!

"Yomu-Yomu" closed new submissions on Friday, May 15th at 23:59. First, I will carefully read the works I have promised to read. However, if I come across a work for which I want to compose a tanka, I may reach out to you and publish it with your permission.

Thank you for reading this far!
I look forward to your continued support.

<Click here for the "Tanka Reviews 'Yomu Yomu'" magazine>

(Reference) My Creative Awards entries

I have submitted one workplace novel and six essays myself.
The essays are just the opening act (though that's quite a lot...), and the main event is the workplace novel.