Tanka After the Ottoman Poetic Tradition
written by: Matthew Guertin
@GhostOwlMTG
Like a swordsman’s blade,
the beauty of your aspect
cuts ‘cross the street
through the coursing crowd as you turn
and slices into my heart.
Matthew Guertin writes primarily in the choka and tanka traditions of Yamato, Nara, and Heian Japan, as well as, obliquely, the Ottoman tradition of love poetry and the Wisdom tradition of ancient Hebrew poetry. His work tends to focus on love, longing, suffering, and the limits of human existence. He has been previously published in Macrina Magazine.
Latest posts by Matthew Guertin (see all)
- O Death, Where is Thy Sting? - May 22, 2024
- On Drinking Wine with a Mirror - February 10, 2024
- Tanka after Sappho and Izumi Shikibu - August 11, 2023
