Contemprary Tanka Poet Mariko Kitakubo. Media coverage.
Red Lights Vol.19 No.2 published my English tanka.
My sincere thanks to the editor, Ms. Marilyn Hazelton.
Thank you very much.
ring ring
a pay phone
in the ICU corridor,
midnight ...
Mother in my dream
ripen and shine
with sakura berries,
relaxing
without an audience ...
mountainside
It included the information in its announcement page about "DISTANCE," the Tan-Ku collection I co-authored with Ms. Debora P Kolodji.
Tuesday, July 4, 2023
In April 2023, while I was in the US, Ms. Deborah P Kolodji and I received a valuable offer from Ms. Marlena Bond and Ms. Lois P. Jones of KPFK FM to interview for their program "Poets Cafe."
It was about our first Tan-Ku book, "DISTANCE," released by Shabda Press in the same month. The program was designed in such a way so that those who are not familiar with English Haiku, Tanka, and Tan-Ku get an opportunity to understand these short poems.
Mr. Rick Lupert, a well-known organizer of Zoom Reading, "Cobalt Poets," was the host. We would like to express our sincere gratitude for the opportunity to introduce Tan-Ku to the public airwaves. Thank you very much.
The program was on air on May 24, from 2:00 p.m. PST (6:00 a.m. JST on May 25).
If you are interested, please visit SOUNDCLOUD.com Poets Cafe on KPFK.
Please note that our interview lasts about 28 minutes, and the next program starts immediately after.
(Note) In the question-and-answer session, I mistakenly referred to the origin of tanka as 14,000 years ago, but 1,400 years ago is correct.
Tuesday, May 30, 2023
English poetry journal "Mariposa" in its Spring/Summer 2023 issue #48 published a Tan-Ku set that Deborah and I weaved together.
I would like to express my sincere thanks to the editor Mr. David Grayson. Thank you very much.
Across the Sea
feeling
the sea breeze...
I am hiding
in your shadow
on the California beach (M)
my face towards you
the tide comes in
goes out (D)
Mariko Kitakubo & Deborah P Kolodji
Wednesday, May 10, 2023
Colorado Boulevard in its Earth Month Issue posted Tan-Ku sets and a sequence I co-authored with Ms. Deborah P Kolodji.
Forest Bathing
uphill path
I slow down to breathe
the pine scent (D)
she perches
at the edge of
my straw hat
a butterfly’s siesta
in emerald breeze (M)
Garden Music
silent blooms
in a camellia forest
pond ripples (D)
scarlet
tsubaki flower
fringed white
aria
under the moonbow (M)
Following the Strands
glamour
of nocturnal
salt water
born from a moon
in Andromeda (M)
expanse
of the universe
a boy and his dog (D)
journey
of the double helix
has no ending. . .
ancient dragonfly shadows
by the stream (M)
tar pit
on Wilshire Boulevard
saber-toothed tiger (D)
iridescent tail
of a baby lizard
Goddess Nyx
gives him wings
sherbet moon (M)
the speed of sound
through water
whale song (D)
You may want to check Colorado Boulevard.net to view our Tan-Ku.
Sunday, April 23, 2023
"Right Hand Pointing" in its issue 151 posted 4 Tan-Ku sets which Ms. Deborah P Kolodji and I created together.
Motherless
a lavender
bubble bath makes me
remember
the shades of
mum’s yukata (M)
combing out my hair
I close my eyes
and see her face (D)
Footsteps
autumn forest
deepens and deepens
in color
who knows
when I will disappear (M)
chilled by the wind
each step closer
to winter (D)
Mariko Kitakubo and Deborah P Kolodji
Sirius Rising
dog days
my maltipoo and I
stay inside and sleep (D)
the joy
of getting lost . . .
am I in
the sky or ocean?
lapis lazuli (M)
9th Inning
losing streak
the crack as his bat
hits a foul ball (D)
every motion
stops and restarts
slowly . . .
we catch our breath
Gyakuten Sayonara!! (M)
Deborah P Kolodji and Mariko Kitakubo
Thursday, April 13, 2023
On February 21, PST, (2023.2.22, JST), The Tan-Ku Set, "Resolve" by us (Deborah P Kolodji and me) appeared!
Thank you so much, the Scarlet Dragonfly editor, Kathleen Trocmet.
https://scarletdragonflyjournal.wordpress.com/2023/02/21/resolve/
Resolve
the purpose
of my life has changed
again . . .
focus on the lady
in the full-length mirror (M)
morning sun comes
through the window
I stand taller (D)
— Mariko Kitakubo, Japan / Deborah P Kolodji, USA
Wednesday, February 22, 2023
Red Lights Vol.19 No.1 posted my English tanka.
My sincere thanks to the editor, Ms. Marilyn Hazelton. Thank you very much.
Sweden
in a pure white
and deep blue sky
I doze in the air
of the arctic route
where am I?
forgetting
the stress of jet lag
in front of
an audience of 100 I give
my reading performance
Monday, February 20, 2023
Shot Glass Journal, an internet magazine, posted 3 Tank sets.
* Click the images below to view the pages in Shot Glass Journal.
About Tan-Ku
Tan-ku is a collaborative form we developed where one poet writes a tanka and the other poet answers with a haiku, or vice versa.
Beach in Malaysia
by Deborah P Kolodji and Mariko Kitakubo
grey skies
the blues inside
me (D)
running
through rainforest
to the cove
accompanied by lightning
and a rainbow (M)
Forecast
by Deborah P Kolodji and Mariko Kitakubo
early twilight
the angry voices
next door (D)
darkness is hiding
under children's brims
tomorrow
will be a sunny day. . .
after the war (M)
Wings
by Deborah P Kolodji and Mariko Kitakubo
milkweed in bloom
a caterpillar hidden
under a leaf (D)
who can
recognize me
the joy
or loss—
metamorphosis (M)
Monday, February 6, 2023
On December 25 PST, (2022.12.26, JST), an online poetry journal "Scarlet Dragonfly Journal" published "The Color Red."
It is a set of English tanka & haiku (Tan-Ku) I created together with Ms. Deborah P Kolodji, my best friend haiku poet.
My sincere thanks to the editor, Ms. Kathleen Trocmet.
https://scarletdragonflyjournal.wordpress.com/2022/12/25/the-color-red/
The Color Red
a fir tree
in the maple forest
forever
green . . .
melancholy (M)
dressing up drab clothes
with Christmas bling
I feel like singing (D)
— Mariko Kitakubo, Japan / Deborah P Kolodji, USA
Monday, December 26, 2022
Tan-Ku Sequence, The Queen Mary, a collaboration with Ms. Deborah P Kolodji, will be published on page 40 of California Quarterly Vol. 48 No. 4 Winter 2022.
My sincere thanks to her, the editor of this poetry magazine, and my good friend with whom I have worked together to create Tan-Ku.
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the California State Poetry Society for the courtesy of sending me a copy by airmail, even though I am not a member of the society.
Thank you very much.
THE QUEEN MARY
seagulls
a little girl watches
the ship sail in (D)
father's hand
was big and warm
before
my story begins
scent of the beach (M)
live band on board
dancing cheek to cheek
at the high school prom (D)
toasting
the fruit punch
our poetry
is still in the wind
string quartet (M)
horn blast
a hundred fifty poets
on deck (D)
That
antique smell...
I meet
an elegant ghost
at the end of the corridor (M)
Deborah P Kolodji
Temple City, California
Mariko Kitakubo
Tokyo, Japan
Thursday, December 15, 2022
Prev