The Tanka Challenge Thread

[bronzeage]

Writing a tanka is the best remedy for any kind of writers block. A tank is more than a haiku with extra lines. The extra lines give space to create a narrative and tell a short story.

The Challenge is simple. Write a tanka, using the last word of the previous piece as the first word of the first line. It is nice when it is a response to the previous piece, but not necessary.

If two people respond to the same piece and leave the thread with two different penulitmate words, the next post must contain two tankas, reponding to each and ending with the same word. This is a dangerous operation and should only be attempted by experienced poets.

I have seen some tanka challenges take salacious turns, so if you read a few exchanges which seem like you have intruded on a private party, please don't be shy.


The tanka challenge
is a poetic x-ray,
revealing even
hard muscle is soft tissue.
Show me what ripples your skin.

 

[Guest]

The tanka challenge
is a poetic x-ray,
revealing even
hard muscle is soft tissue.
Show me what ripples your skin.

Skin - taut and silky
filling with rushing blood-heat
taps my lips gently.
Pleasure waits, building inside
to course through length into soft.

 

[Remec]

Skin - taut and silky
filling with rushing blood-heat
taps my lips gently.
Pleasure waits, building inside
to course through length into soft.

Soft, yet growing once
more, stretching through fingers
to brush lips again.
Constantly wanting that warmth,
an enveloping wetness.

 

[mjl2010]

Wetness, soft wanting
glistening pearl droplets shine
softness sweet wanting
sliding against wanton lips
tongue gentle flicker swept

 

[Guest]

Wetness, soft wanting
glistening pearl droplets shine
softness sweet wanting
sliding against wanton lips
tongue gentle flicker swept

Swept hard from my feet
by thoughts, acts of tenderness -
I am now fallen.
Only to be lifted, strong
to dance aloft in the clouds.

 

[Remec]

Swept hard from my feet
by thoughts, acts of tenderness -
I am now fallen.
Only to be lifted, strong
to dance aloft in the clouds.

Clouds...as far as my
blurred vision can manage
to see...lay before,
behind, above me
as I finally take my leave
and go without looking back.

 

[GuiltyPleasure]

Back in the old days
we understood one another
then the distance grew
as we did into our own
individual being

 

[Remec]

Back in the old days
we understood one another
then the distance grew
as we did into our own
individual being

Being who we were,
was there ever any doubt
that it wouldn't last?
I'd like to think that there was;
but my glasses are rose-coloured.

 

[GuiltyPleasure]

Being who we were,
was there ever any doubt
that it wouldn't last?
I'd like to think that there was;
but my glasses are rose-coloured.

Rose-coloured - now we have a dilemma.
Is that one word or two?
and I see you use a U
which endears me to U
so perhaps there's hope
for us yet.

 

[LostBaby]

Rose-coloured - now we have a dilemma.
Is that one word or two?
and I see you use a U
which endears me to U
so perhaps there's hope
for us yet.

Yet, hard as I try
I can not understand it.
Why did it happen?
How can I start again with you?
Will you even care if I did?

 

[Remec]

Rose-coloured - now we have a dilemma.
Is that one word or two?
and I see you use a U
which endears me to U
so perhaps there's hope
for us yet.

Yet, when your words find
their way to my heart once more,
I see nothing but
hope; feel nothing except the
rhythm they leave on my tongue.

 

[sophieloves]

ooh eck !

tongue bound - cat got it?
snatched sound from pliant muscle
instead press sweet and
firm the language of no words
to lips unable to hear



did i miss something
was i too slow? an eye-blink
in Time passes - swift
that rift appears - your lips
move, but i can't hear

 

[LostBaby]

Hear the unspoken
words of my heart as it beats.
Feel my everlasting love
as you hold me in your arms,
knowing it is the last time.

 

[Angeline]

Hear the unspoken
words of my heart as it beats.
Feel my everlasting love
as you hold me in your arms,
knowing it is the last time.

The whisper of pines,
windchime and the voiceless crow,
footsteps and breath drawn,
exhaled, pleading to sigh.
Hear the unspoken.

 

[bronzeage]

Hear the unspoken
words of my heart as it beats.
Feel my everlasting love
as you hold me in your arms,
knowing it is the last time.

Time is the measure
of our life, but not our love.
Minutes, hours and days
can be numbered and tallied,
but love will not be measured.

 

[sophieloves]

Time is the measure
of our life, but not our love.
Minutes, hours and days
can be numbered and tallied,
but love will not be measured.

measured breaths soon change -
ragged response to quick'ning
thoughts synaptic joy
within the breast a storm stirs
driven by the double-drums

 

[Guest]

measured breaths soon change -
ragged response to quick'ning
thoughts synaptic joy
within the breast a storm stirs
driven by the double-drums

(oooh, lovely, sophie!)

Drum-master, your pace
is to slow to tell of my
exhilaration.
Listen to my heart beating -
it gallops in ecstacy.

 

[bronzeage]

(oooh, lovely, sophie!)

Drum-master, your pace
is to slow to tell of my
exhilaration.
Listen to my heart beating -
it gallops in ecstacy.

Ecstacy will seem
a pleasant afternoon nap
when my band battles
to play your marching tempo.
I brought a big horn section

 

[Guest]

Ecstacy will seem
a pleasant afternoon nap
when my band battles
to play your marching tempo.
I brought a big horn section

Sections of oranges
fingertips to waiting lips
sweet as soft kisses
Bursting now, tangy-sweet juice
bathes tongue, throat in joyful bliss.

 

[sophieloves]

Sections of oranges
fingertips to waiting lips
sweet as soft kisses
Bursting now, tangy-sweet juice
bathes tongue, throat in joyful bliss.

bliss is a cat coiled
in a patch of pooling sun
soaking up the heat
paws stutter in some dream game
whiskers twitter in its sleep

 

[LostBaby]

Sections of oranges
fingertips to waiting lips
sweet as soft kisses
Bursting now, tangy-sweet juice
bathes tongue, throat in joyful bliss.

Bliss.. often confused
with lust, sought by one who seeks
it, not in the heart
of the one who is true but
in a false lover, with false promises

 

[bronzeage]

Bliss.. often confused
with lust, sought by one who seeks
it, not in the heart
of the one who is true but
in a false lover, with false promises

Promises often take
strange form when lovers settle
into the routine
of the familiar, each hope
the other can learn new tricks.

 

[sophieloves]

Promises often take
strange form when lovers settle
into the routine
of the familiar, each hope
the other can learn new tricks.

tricks are but cheap currency
and older dogs should hone new skills
that goes for bitches, too -
a furry fornication of two minds, bodies
i'm smiling - and your tail's a wagging



(lmao - sorry, lol)

 

[Remec]

tricks are but cheap currency
and older dogs should hone new skills
that goes for bitches, too -
a furry fornication of two minds, bodies
i'm smiling - and your tail's a wagging

"Wagging like you've never
heard nor seen a tongue wag, I
swear to God, Himself,
you could bend her over, fill
her up, she'd be wagging still."

 

[sophieloves]

"Wagging like you've never
heard nor seen a tongue wag, I
swear to God, Himself,
you could bend her over, fill
her up, she'd be wagging still."

(lololol)

still speaking while you...?
goodness, that's not on, instead
turn her around, yes?
try filling her mouth - surely -
she can't get a vowel round that!