Tanka Journal poet

Bill Melton

15 poems in Issue 2, Issue 3, Issue 4, Issue 6, Issue 7, Issue 8, Issue 9

In their own words

I am a retired sales executive and writing has filled many boring hours of business travel. Haiku, senryu and other short poetry forms imposes brevity in transforming a thought or event into a few syllables, something that has served me well over the years.

As a lifelong observer of nature, I always draw strength and inspiration from the simplicity that I see in nature.

Tanka is providing a new and different challenge of expression

sharp acrid wood smokewafts around a plodding mulegrinding sugar canehornets fly from far awaydrawn to the smell of sweet juice

Issue 2Issue 2 →

a front porch swing swaysas a creaking rusty chainslowly oscillatescrickets sing in harmonythings seen and heard, never told

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breeze rippled riversunlight happily dancingon undulationsa loon chick peacefully sleepson a parent's bobbing back

Issue 3Issue 3 →

goldenrod undercanopy of red sumaca wall of colorwith the first snow of winterblossoms will bow to the earth

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snow gently coversdark towering lofty peakswith a bridal veila softly undulatinggarment of pristine beauty

Issue 3Issue 3 →

stillness of the nightdisturbed only by the winda desolate roomI hear you whisper my namebut I cannot answer back

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cows nod sleepilyunder oak trees gentle shadethen a silent callmilking time has just arrivedslowly rise in unison

Issue 4Issue 4 →

lifetime of hard worketched in the dark ruched skina leathery facewith serenity that glowsfrom honesty and calmness

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glass of chardonnayawaits as I try to forma thought in my mindthen suddenly it's spillingon the paper, through my pen

Issue 6Issue 6 →

a dark ruddy faceeyes shirred by the burning sunstained straw hat for shadewhite salt lines on a work shirtfarmer at peace with the world

Issue 7Issue 7 →

gnarled twisted brancheshandful of succulent pearsabandoned orchardonce tended by caring handsnow also twisted and gnarled

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undulating wavesawaken dim memoriesprimeval heartbeatocean assails the sensesfilling the voids of my soul

Issue 8Issue 8 →

backlit morning suntranslucent beryl green skysultry summer heatlow distant growl of thunderheralds an approaching storm

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cold winter eveningfather thumbs seed cataloguesknowing all alongwhen spring planting time arriveshe will have been laid to rest

Issue 9Issue 9 →

tumbling mountain streampurling around polished stonessins with happy songlanguage understood by nonemessage understood by all

Issue 9Issue 9 →