25 Tanka Poems That Will Change How You See Poetry

Hi, Friend! Jen Glantz here. I’m a bestselling author, the first ever bridesmaid for hire and have been hired by hundreds of brides all over the world. Let’s talk about tanka poem examples.

I read something the other day that actually blew my mind. Akiko Yosano, a total legend in Japanese literature, reportedly wrote 40,000 tanka poems in her lifetime. That averages out to two or three poems every single day for her entire adult life. Meanwhile, I can barely remember to drink enough water or text my mom back within 24 hours, let alone produce art at that volume.

But that consistency tells us something important. Poetry doesn’t have to be this ancient, dusty relic reserved for professors. It can be a daily habit of capturing how you feel. Modern Tanka in Japan proves that these little bursts of emotion still work today. We usually rush past the small moments in life, but a great tanka poem forces us to stop and actually look at them.

Quick Resources:

• Turn poetic inspiration into vows with the Wedding Vow Generator

• Browse the full planning suite in All Wedding Tools

TL;DR

If you’re wondering what a tanka poem is, think of it as a brief emotional snapshot. It’s perfect if you need a little more space than a haiku offers, but you don’t want to write a whole novel.

• Tanka translates to “short song” and is actually older than the haiku. If haiku is a snapshot, tanka is a short video clip. (Check out these haiku examples if you want to compare the vibe).
• The classic rule is 5-7-5-7-7 syllables, but in English, we care more about the rhythm: short-long-short-long-long.
• The secret sauce is the “pivot” (Ku). It starts with an image in the first three lines, then hits you with an emotion in the last two.
• It thrives on concrete stuff—rain, coffee, traffic—to explain abstract feelings like love or stress.
• It’s super versatile. You can use them for wedding vows, eulogies, or just to calm down during a panic attack.

Transform poetic ideas into promises using the Wedding Vow Generator

What Makes a Tanka Actually Good?

Before we get to the list, let’s figure out what separates a cheesy rhyme from art. Tanka poetry has a wider emotional range than haiku. When you pick a poem for a speech, a card, or just for yourself, you want something that resonates.

You want a verse that feels complete, not just a sentence chopped up into weird line breaks.

The Structure (5-7-5-7-7… ish)

Technically, a traditional tanka has five lines with a specific syllable count: 5, 7, 5, 7, and 7. But here is the thing: English syllables sound different than Japanese sound units (on). If you force the math in English, it often sounds robotic. So, most modern poets prioritize the flow—”short, long, short, long, long”—over a strict count. It should sound musical, not calculated.

Feature	Traditional Japanese Tanka	Modern English Tanka
Unit of Sound	On (Sound units)	Syllables
Line Structure	5-7-5-7-7	Short-Long-Short-Long-Long
The Vibe	Strict, measured cadence	Conversational, rhythmic flow
Goal	Adherence to form	Emotional clarity

The Pivot (The Ku)

The best poems have a “turn.” The first three lines (the upper phrase) set the scene—usually something you can see, like nature. The last two lines (the lower phrase) tell us how that image makes the speaker feel. That shift is where the magic happens.

Emotional Resonance (Kokoro)

Tanka poems are lyrical and deep. Famous poets like Izumi Shikibu used this form to scream about love, longing, and grief. A good example needs to bypass your brain and hit you right in the gut. If you read it and don’t feel a little twinge in your chest, it’s probably missing Kokoro (heart/mind).

Imagery vs. Abstraction

Look for poems that ground big feelings in real objects. Connect the physical world—rain, snow, flowers—with the internal world. You have to ground the emotion, or it just floats away.

Here is a quick “Show, Don’t Tell” example:

• Abstract (Boring): I am very sad today / because you are gone away / I miss you so much / I wish you were here now / I am crying a lot.
• Concrete (Better): The tea has gone cold (5) / Rain slides down the window pane (7) / Blur of gray and street (5) / I trace your name on the glass (7) / And watch it fade into mist (7).

25 Stunning Tanka Poem Examples

Here are 25 examples broken down into five categories. Whether you want the classic Japanese style or a modern take on burnout, I’ve got you covered. Take your time with these; poetry is meant to be sipped, not chugged.

Category A: Weddings and Love

These focus on commitment and the future. They are perfect for vows, toasts, or just writing inside a card when “Congratulations!” feels too generic. If you need more romantic inspiration, check out these love poem examples too. Using a tanka adds a personal touch that feels deliberate.

Adapt a tanka-style poem into vows with the Wedding Vow Generator

1. The Quiet Vow

Standing here today (5)
Hand in hand we face the light (7)
Storms may surely come (5)
But I will be your shelter (7)
Through the longest winter night (7)

This works because it acknowledges that marriage isn’t just sunshine—it’s about who holds the umbrella when it rains.

2. The River’s Path

Two distinct rivers (5)
Rushing down the mountain side (7)
Meet to form the one (5)
Stronger than the stones below (7)
Flowing to the endless sea (7)

Nature imagery is a staple here. It illustrates that two people coming together are stronger than the obstacles (stones) they face.

3. Morning Coffee

Sunlight on your face (5)
Coffee steam swirls in the air (7)
Quiet morning peace (5)
I would live this single day (7)
Over and over again (7)

This is a modern take on domestic bliss. It captures a “micro-moment” of coffee and sunlight, proving that love is mostly about the quiet Tuesdays, not just the big Saturdays.

4. The Golden Thread

Not by chance or luck (5)
Did our distinct paths collide (7)
Fate has pulled the thread (5)
Weaving us into a cloth (7)
That time cannot pull apart (7)

A little more abstract, but beautiful. It uses weaving as a metaphor for how two lives get tangled up together in the best way.

5. The Garden Gate

Open up the gate (5)
Step into the green and new (7)
Seeds we plant today (5)
Will become the shade we need (7)
When our hair has turned to gray (7)

This projects the present moment far into the future. It’s a lovely thought for a toast—planting something now that protects you when you’re old.

Pro Tip for Toasts: Instead of rambling, use a Tanka to anchor your speech. Share a quick memory, recite the poem (like The Garden Gate), and raise your glass. It makes you look polished and thoughtful.

Refine poetic language for ceremony moments with the Wedding Vow Generator

Category B: Longing and Unrequited Love

Inspired by the old-school Heian court poets, these explore the ache of missing someone. This style is timeless because, unfortunately, heartbreak never goes out of style. These articulate that silence we usually endure alone.

6. The Unsent Letter

Ink upon the page (5)
Drying in the autumn wind (7)
Words I cannot send (5)
Float away like fallen leaves (7)
Landing nowhere near your heart (7)

Autumn is the classic season for loneliness. The imagery of drying ink and dead leaves mirrors the words that never reached the person they were meant for.

7. Digital Silence

Phone screen lights the room (5)
Waiting for a single sign (7)
Nothing comes to me (5)
Just the hum of empty space (7)
Louder than a thunder clap (7)

We’ve all been here. The contrast between the silent phone and the internal “thunder” of anxiety is something everyone relates to instantly.

8. The Midnight Train

Whistle cuts the dark (5)
Taking you so far away (7)
I remain behind (5)
Counting seconds in the cold (7)
Wishing I was on that track (7)

Trains almost always mean separation in poetry. Here, the separation is physical, but the pain is in the counting of the seconds.

9. Fading Echo

Spoke your name aloud (5)
Just to hear the sound of it (7)
Empty room replies (5)
Memory is cruel and kind (7)
Keeping what I wish to lose (7)

This hits on the paradox of grief. The pivot at line four realizes that memory is a double-edged sword—it keeps them alive, but it also keeps the pain fresh.

10. The Moon’s Gaze

Looking at the moon (5)
Wondering if you look too (7)
Miles lie in between (5)
But the light is just the same (7)
Touching both of us tonight (7)

The “looking at the same moon” trope is a classic for a reason. It’s a small comfort when you’re miles apart.

Category C: Nature and Seasons

These focus on how time passes and how fleeting the physical world is. In Japanese poetry, this is called *kigo* (seasonal words). It grounds the poem in a specific time of year.

Weave seasonal imagery into vows using the Wedding Vow Generator

Season	Common Imagery (Kigo)	The Vibe
Spring	Cherry blossoms, melting snow	Hope, new beginnings, beauty that doesn’t last.
Summer	Cicadas, heat waves, sudden rain	Passion, intensity, feeling overwhelmed by heat.
Autumn	Red maples, the moon, wind	Loneliness, reflection, getting older.
Winter	Snow, bare branches, silence	Endurance, solitude, resting before the restart.

11. Cherry Blossom Snow

Pink and white descend (5)
Softly on the river bank (7)
Spring is passing by (5)
Beauty is a fleeting thing (7)
Precious because it must end (7)

This captures mono no aware—the sadness of things passing. It suggests that things are beautiful specifically because they don’t last forever.

12. Winter Silence

Snow covers the road (5)
Hiding paths we used to walk (7)
Silence fills the woods (5)
Nature sleeps to heal herself (7)
So that she may bloom again (7)

I love this one because it frames winter as “rest” rather than “death.” It’s a good reminder that sometimes we need to go dormant to heal.

13. Summer Heat

Cicadas cry out (5)
Heat waves shimmer on the street (7)
Shadows stretch and grow (5)
Even in the burning sun (7)
Coolness waits for evening fall (7)

You can almost feel the humidity here. It moves from the oppressive noon sun to the promise of a cooler evening.

14. The Red Maple

Turning red and gold (5)
Maples set the hills on fire (7)
Cooler winds arrive (5)
Change is not a frightening thing (7)
Just a different way to shine (7)

This is great for transitions—like retirement or a new job. It reframes change as brilliance rather than decay.

15. The First Rain

Dust upon the ground (5)
Washes clean in sudden storm (7)
Scent of earth and rain (5)
Life drinks deep and starts anew (7)
Green returns to arid fields (7)

A celebration of resilience. The dust washes away, and life starts over. Simple and effective.

Category D: Mindfulness and Modern Life

These apply ancient forms to modern headaches. Writing a tanka can be a little meditation hack. It forces you to stop doom-scrolling and actually describe the world around you.

Turn real-life moments into meaningful vows with the Wedding Vow Generator

16. The Commute

Traffic lights turn red (5)
brake lights bloom like angry flowers (7)
Breathe in and breathe out (5)
I am not the rush I feel (7)
I am the stillness inside (7)

“Brake lights bloom like angry flowers” is such a great visual. It reminds you that you are the stillness, not the road rage.

17. Screen Fatigue

Blue light hurts my eyes (5)
Scrolling through the endless feed (7)
Put the device down (5)
Look up at the real blue sky (7)
Infinite and pixel-free (7)

A little meta-commentary on technology. The pivot happens when you physically put the phone down and trade the pixel blue for the sky blue.

18. Sunday Afternoon

Nothing planned today (5)
Just the book and cup of tea (7)
Clock ticks on the wall (5)
Time is not a thing to spend (7)
But a river to float on (7)

This rethinks time. Instead of time being money we spend, it’s water we float on. Much less stressful.

19. Urban Garden

Concrete all around (5)
Yet a single flower blooms (7)
Cracking through the stone (5)
Life will always find a way (7)
To reach toward the morning sun (7)

Finding beauty in the city. It’s that classic “flower in the concrete” image of persistence.

20. The Email Inbox

Messages pile up (5)
Demanding my time and thought (7)
I close down the lid (5)
Peace is found in boundaries (7)
Work can wait another day (7)

One for the corporate warriors. Peace isn’t an empty inbox; peace is closing the laptop.

Try This 5-Minute Exercise: If you’re stressed, write a “Sensory Tanka.”

1. Lines 1-3: Look around and describe one thing you see or hear (e.g., “The white noise hums low / Air conditioner blasting / Cold air on my skin”).
2. Lines 4-5: Close your eyes and say how you want to feel (e.g., “I release the tension now / And return to my own breath”).

Category E: Grief and Remembrance

Grief is heavy and clumsy, and sometimes prose just doesn’t cut it. These poems offer a container for those feelings. (If you need more help with this, these elegy examples are also really beautiful).

21. The Empty Chair

Table set for four (5)
But the chair remains unused (7)
Laughter fills the air (5)
Yet the silence where you sat (7)
Is the loudest sound of all (7)

The juxtaposition of laughter and silence hits hard here. It captures that specific pain of a missing person at a holiday dinner.

22. Ripples

Stone thrown in the lake (5)
Sinks beneath the surface deep (7)
Ripples spread wide out (5)
Though you are no longer here (7)
Your love touches every shore (7)

A comforting one for funerals. Even when the person is gone (the stone sinks), their impact (the ripples) still touches everything.

23. Shadows

Sun goes down at last (5)
Shadows merge into the night (7)
I am not afraid (5)
Darkness is just resting light (7)
Waiting for the dawn to break (7)

A philosophical take. Reframing darkness as “resting light” offers a little hope when things feel bleak.

24. The Old Photograph

Colors start to fade (5)
Edges curled and turning brown (7)
Smile remains the same (5)
Time can take the paper away (7)
But the moment stays with me (7)

Paper fades, memories stay. It’s a simple truth, but a powerful one.

25. Moving On

Winter turns to Spring (5)
Ice begins to melt away (7)
Heart begins to mend (5)
I will carry you with me (7)
As I walk into the sun (7)

The final example is about healing. It acknowledges the loss but commits to walking forward into the sun.

How We Bring Structure to Your Big Day

You know how a poem falls apart without structure? Weddings are exactly the same. They need rhythm. They need a “pivot” plan for when things go wrong (because something always goes wrong).

Wedding Element	The “Chaos” Pivot	The Structured Solution
The Vows	You get choked up and freeze.	We provide a template (like Tankas) to keep words flowing.
The Timeline	Speeches run 20 minutes over, food gets cold.	We act as the timekeeper, gently nudging the event back on track.
The Logistics	A zipper breaks.	We fix it behind the scenes so you stay in the “emotional high.”

At Bridesmaid for Hire, we work behind the scenes to make sure your wedding has a good flow. We smooth out the stressful parts so you can just enjoy the party. If you’re struggling with what to say, our guide on how to write a maid of honor speech can help you find the rhythm. We’re basically the rhythm section of your wedding band.

Keep your words flowing under pressure with the Wedding Vow Generator

Final Thoughts

Poetry and life events both require a balance of discipline and emotion. Whether you’re writing a verse to tell someone you love them or planning a ceremony to celebrate it, the goal is to create something that feels real. Use these poems as inspiration, and remember that you don’t have to do it all alone.

Follow the path of the great poets and find beauty in the short moments. Whether you need a poem for a toast or just for your own sanity, the Tanka form is forgiving. If you want to explore other short forms, check out these short poem examples.

Ultimately, Tanka poems teach us to capture the heart of the moment. You don’t need 40,000 poems to make an impact; sometimes, you just need one good one.