Friday, February 7, 2014

A new contest

I woke today to another day with sub-zero temperatures, the 47th day since November that this has happened.  It seems to be some record, though only one a Minnesotan might be proud or happy about.  Actually, I think that 1959 was colder, and the 1980-81 winter close but it has been a while since winter has been so bitter.  Local schools will be going until the second week of June for sure to make up for snow and cold days, I am sure the "old-timers" like me will tell you young whipper-snappers about the "real" cold winter of 2013-14!

Since enjoying this kind of winter seems to require indoor activities, I have been reading as much as I can and expanding my little brain.  I am a bit focused on the East, as in Japan, right now and have read widely on this topic.  The internet is an amazing thing, isn't it?  I was thinking about Japanese poetry and its various forms.  I have seen poems in the "Tanka" format and I appreciate their depth beyond the more common haiku format.  Of course in the hands of a true master,these 31 syllables can tell a whole story.  The form usually is 5 7 5 7 7, or just 31 syllables.  Often the poem is done as part of a competition, for either the whole poem or the poet will complete the first 17 syllables and then a competitor will complete the last two lines or 14 syllables.  Basho, the 17th century master poet,  excelled at this and his haiku still inspire mora lines.

Below area two by a lowly, lowly imitator.  The contest is now open!  Enter by either submitting a whole poem in this format or as the first hokku to be followed by the 7-7 mora verse.  Prizes are yet to be determined but I am sure that they will be significant.  All entries will be published providing they aren't obscene.  My last poetry contest inspired someone in that direction and he was disappointed that I didn't publish it--thus the disclaimer.




The cold winter’s blast
Scouring land and man, too.
All shiver, the norm.
The sun weak, unsustaining,
unthawing, cold.  Blast winter.


Trees shatter, frozen
The sound sharp, the night too cold
Branches asunder
Sun shines with but faint warmth,

it failing as night begins

No comments: