A Tanka Sequence

This is Mariko Kitakubo from Japan, reading her tanka for us 

in front of one of Asilomar's great fieldstone fireplaces.

Although she is known as a tanka poet, she often

comes to our retreats to share her poems with us.

Many of our haiku poets also write tanka.

This sequence of her tanka poems appeared in Rattle 47.

[ AFTER FUKUSHIMA ]

1

when
will my later years
start?---
a mother cat has babies
at the ruined village


2

dim light
of cherry blossoms--
unstoppable
petal storm in the ruins
beyond my five senses


3

sounds
of the stream
in my homeland---
Strontium is soaking
into the placenta


4

cherry avenue
my late mother's favorite...
is there
another world?
petal drift


5

there were
days when I had
my dream...
are you there now?
Betelgeuse

Mariko Kitakubo

Rattle 47