Contemprary Tanka Poet Mariko Kitakubo. Article details.
International Tanka Festival on June 5th in Karuizawa, Japan
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Speech by Ms. Kathabela Wilson, the secretary of the Tanka Society of America. "The reason why I write tanka." Ms. K. Wilson told us that she started writing tanka in 2007 when she heard my tanka reading performance at Pacific Asia Museum, although she did not know about tanka at all before that. In addition, she expressed that tanka is just like spiritual home, or mother to her. On the stage, she suggested to present the tanka sequence titled "The green rain" which she and I wrote while we stayed in Karuizawa. It was the first time for her to stay in Karuizawa. Having been suprised at her sudden suggestion, and felt very honored at the same time, I thought it was more natural and better to accept her offer. I had no intention to be rude, but stepped forward to the platform. Our brand new sequence reads as follows; "The green rain" finding a new life with my dear friend from a long distance in the green rain (Mariko) twins in the iris garden bloom together eye to eye opening day (Kathabela) scent of Japanese larch early summer-- long time ago maybe I was a sapling too(Mariko) maybe I was a deep green moss hiding for centuries on old trees waiting (Kathabela) |
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Short movie offered by the audience. |
A member of Tanka Journal presented a speech titled "The reason why I write Tanka in English." I talked about the following content and performed four pieces of tanka reading in my presentation, "The Tanka Seends." My dream is "Planting the Tanka seeds all around the world." One decade has passed since I started bilingual tanka reading in order to introduce Tanka to the people abroad - I have made 81 reading performances in 26 cities worldwide. Actually, I am back from Africa, Tanzania, Dodoma National Universitiy 2 months ago. I will be in New York next month, and in September, I will attend the Haiku event to be held in Pune, India. I still feel it is not enough. Of course, I will continue making efforts to write higher-quality tanka, and at the same time, I would like to deliver Japanese poetical imagination and traditional original prosodies inherited form the era of "Manyo" to the people of different countries. bettween the date of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, my sweat seeps into the small puncture hole where they drew my blood cobalt blue was my favorite color... until I could see it in atomic wast I'd like to believe in eternity... one noon beside the acacia tree an elephant and the baby pure indigo settles down in my heart when I cross the border ... I'd like to die as a wanderer |
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Having requested by Ms. Marilyn Hazelton, the president of the Tanka Society of America, I performed bilingual tanka reading in the evening of the festival of the piece which was posted in the TSA facebook page. Tanka has the power to heal our broken heart. That can help us from the helpless terrible situation. I noticed that beside my Mother's bed in ICU Hospital. She was sleeping like a beautiful baby or a quiet Christmas Rose.... I kept writing tanka every day, every moment to keep myself during her last 17days. cherry avenue my late mother's favorite-- is there another world? petal drift |
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