Monday, March 12, 2018

Tanaga poem




Northwinds nip the mountain side
shrouding pines as if a bride,
silent and seemingly shy
this virgin veil, glorified.

by Margaret Bednar, March 12, 2018

We live in the North Carolina mountains (along the Blue Ridge Parkway) and see very little snow.  If it snows, it's usually less than 3 inches and lasts for only a few days.  It's always fresh and beautiful.  We don't get the "dirty" lingering snow of the northern states.  I hope this is the last week of snow fall as the bushes and trees are starting to bud.

This is linked with "Imaginary Garden of Real Toads - Fussy Little Forms - Tanaga".  It is close to a haiku and tanka.  It has a rhyme scheme.  The key to the tanaga is it is a witty poem, emotionally charged heavy on metaphor, sometimes begging a question that demands an answer.

I tried for metaphor as it's hard enough for me to rhyme.  "Begging a question" was beyond me. 

7 comments:

brudberg said...

Snow here tends to linger and be dirty.... I remember many years ago I drove from the Tennessee side up into the mountains not expecting snow... it was scary to drive down again.

That was when I spent three months working in Oak Ridge.

Maude Lynn said...

This is lovely, Margaret!

Magaly Guerrero said...

Oh, wow, Margaret! This is fantastic. The image it conjures, the way it makes me dislike winter a bit less (I can't be upset at something so... fitting), and the rhyme dances so smoothly on the tongue.

Susie Clevenger said...

I love the idea of pine trees as brides... beautiful

Sanaa Rizvi said...

This is absolutely stunning, Margaret!💖😍

Marian said...

Really beautiful, Margaret... I think this form is really difficult and you made something very special with it.
Hope you are doing well!

Bekkie Sanchez said...

Well done!