Writing Exercise - Tankas and Somonkas

As some of you may be aware, I’m currently compiling an anthology of poetry, Coming Together: In Verse.  The call for submissions is listed here: http://ashleylisterauthor.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/call-for-submissions-coming-together-in.html

For those of you wanting to submit, but lacking inspiration or ideas, below you’ll find one of the poetry writing exercises I’ve previously shared on the blog for the Erotic Readers and Writers Association (http://erotica-readers.blogspot.co.uk). I'm going to try and share them here on a weekly basis until we reach the deadline date.

 Since we started looking at poetry as a writing exercise we’ve considered various syllable forms. The most famous of these is the haiku, usually interpreted in Western writing as three lines containing 5-7-5 syllables.

As I’ve said before, I enjoy the discipline of syllable forms because it forces us to approach words from a different angle. We’re counting syllables as well as considering the perceived denotations and connotations of potential synonyms.

There are other variations on this syllable-counting theme. One of the more popular is the tanka.

The tanka is similar to the haiku except it’s longer in that it’s usually five lines and interpreted as 5-7-5-7-7 syllables. Given that it’s almost double the length of the haiku, the tanka can still be surprisingly restrictive.

However, this month’s form is not the 5-7-5-7-7 syllable tanka. This month we’re looking at the somonka.

The somonka is made up of two tanka-sized stanzas presented as an exchange of love letters.

Note to my master
I come to you on my knees
Ready and willing
My bare flesh is yours tonight
Do with me as you see fit

To my submissive
Thank you for your love letter
It was not needed
Your bare flesh is mine tonight
But only if I want it

Does that look simple enough? Two tank-sized stanzas (5-7-5-7-7 syllables) presented as an exchange of love letters. 

If you do want to submit to the current anthology, information can be found on: http://ashleylisterauthor.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/call-for-submissions-coming-together-in.html