Tanka Truck

I was in the mood to write some tanka, which are a form of traditional Japanese poetry. As with haiku, they usually follow a regular syllable pattern, but whereas haiku has the structure 5-7-5, tanka is a thirty-one syllable form that usually follows the pattern 5-7-5-7-7. Both haiku and tanka normally contain a kigō, or season word. In this case, the ones I used represent autumn, particularly in October and November.

紅葉から
冷たく落ちる
雨の水
積もるところは
僕の足跡

Momoji kara
Tsumetaku ochiru
Ame no mizu
Tsumoru tokoro wa
Boku no ashiato

Translation:
Rainwater falling coldly from red autumn leaves;
Where it collects is in my footprints.

名月の
明るい光
水の上
二つになって
反射している

Meigetsu no
Akarui hikari
Mizu no ue
Futatsu ni natte
Hansha shite iru

Translation:
The bright light of the harvest moon
Becomes two reflecting on the water.

黒い空
星の行進
天の川
あの光道
無視されている

Kuroi sora
Hoshi no kōshin
Amanogawa
Ano hikari-michi
Mushi sarete iru

Translation:
Black sky, the march of the stars.
The Milky Way, that path of light, is being ignored.

また昨夜
野分の遊び
庭の中
一本の菊
土の上咲く

Mata sakuya
Nowaki no asobi
Niwa no naka
Ippon no kiku
Tsuchi no ue saku

Translation:
Again last night, a windstorm's play.
In the garden a single chrysanthemum blooms on the soil.

狭い道
険しく下る
濃い霧に
下見られない
目の前柿だ

Semai michi
Kewashiku kudaru
Koi kiri ni
Shita mirarenai
Me no mae kaki da

Translation:
The narrow road descends steeply.
In the thick fog, I can't see down.
There are persimmons before my eyes.

(You'll understand some of the significance of these soon! :) )