This week our host for Tuesday Tanka is Melissa Lemay! Hey Melissa thanks for this lovely prompt. Here is Melissa’s prompt.
“In this Tanka Tuesday challenge, participants will write a mondo poem reflecting seasonal transitions, focusing on winter’s end or summer’s start. Contributions should follow a 5-7-7 syllable format and encourage collaboration.
Melissa says, ” if you are in the Northern Hemisphere, you will be writing about the cusp of winter and spring. In the Southern Hemisphere, you’ll be writing about summer / fall.
The mondo is a syllabic form that consists of two stanzas. It is usually collaborative. The first stanza asks an open-ended, poignant question. The second stanza attempts to answer the question and glean meaning from nature. See here.
For this week’s challenge, we will write our three-line stanzas in 5-7-7 syllable format (or as close to it as possible). You may select from the following two options.
- Option 1: Write a mondo of your own, writing both stanzas, question and response.
- Option 2: Choose one (or more) of the beginning question stanzas I provide below, and write a second answer stanza.”
I love a collaboration so I have used Melissa’s questions and then put my answers. I hope you enjoy.
why do flowers come
in waves of purple and white
after the last winter snow?
its’s nature’s gentle
reminder that she is alive
so bringing us comfort and warmth
after pink blossoms
cover us with their blankets
are they sad to go away
no it’s Nature’s way
and they return to Gaia
after drifting through our minds
while the koi fish sleep
in their underwater worlds
what are they dreaming of?
shady lilly pads
tickles from a gentle hand
walking with us upon land?
willowdot21 