Category: #TankaTuesday

Laughing Buddha

Chris Hall34 Comments

a sculpture in our yard

our lovely fat Budai
he loves to chuckle and grin
he throws happiness and joy
here’s a gift, petals!

~~~~~

The Dodoitsu is a fixed folk song form of Japanese origin and is often about love or humour.

The name, Budai, literally means ‘cloth sack’, and refers to the bag he is usually depicted carrying as he wanders aimlessly. His jolly nature, humorous personality, and eccentric lifestyle distinguish him from most Buddhist masters or figures. He is almost always shown smiling or laughing, hence his nickname in Chinese, the Laughing Buddha. Budai is traditionally depicted as overweight and having a huge stomach (possibly a symbol of abundance or forgiveness) and many stories surrounding Budai involve his love of food and drink – perfect for us too!

For Colleen Chesebro’s #TankaTuesday #42 – 9 December 2025 where this week’s host Yvette Calleiro’s invitation is to focus on the word gift/gifting, as a noun or verb and to write a syllabic poem.

#TankaTuesday Poetry Challenge No. 42, Gift/Gifting, 12/09/25

Fish Feast

Chris Hall59 Comments

a view from our stoep

it’s almost Christmas
and we will have a fish feast
elegant, possibly
but don’t miss any lovely juice
since we will have some mussels
~~~

Keith Floyd’s Moules Marinière 

Ingredients

  • Fresh mussels, cleaned and de-bearded
  • Butter
  • Shallots (or onion)
  • Garlic, unpeeled and crushed
  • Fresh parsley
  • Good white wine

Instructions

  1. Prepare the mussels: Clean them thoroughly, removing any beards or barnacles.
  2. Melt the butter: In a large saucepan, melt a generous amount of butter over high heat.
  3. Sauté aromatics: Add the chopped shallots, crushed garlic, and most of the parsley to the melted butter. Stir for a moment.
  4. Add wine: Pour in the white wine and let it come to a boil.
  5. Cook the mussels: Add the mussels to the pot, cover tightly, and cook over high heat for a few minutes until they open. Shake the pan occasionally.
  6. Discard any mussels that remain closed.
  7. Serve the mussels immediately with their juice and sprinkle with the remaining parsley.
  8. Enjoy: It is customary to serve with crusty bread for dipping in the flavourful sauce. 

~~~~~

For Colleen Chesebro’s #TankaTuesday #41 – 2 December 2025 where this week, Colleen’s invitation is ‘to write a syllabic poem on the food/or foods that are served according to your December traditions.‘

#TankaTuesday Poetry Challenge No. 41, December Foods, 12/2/2025

Just gratitude

Chris Hall45 Comments

view from my kitchen window

Brimming with happiness
so warm and so bright
who’s busy outside, let me have a little look
as I open the big door
and slowly step out.

I look around and up
here’s two pretty doves
they’re canoodling together on that rafter
so why don’t you nest here
good idea, my dear?

I’m sure you’ve been before
both of you last year
and that when so well, we all remember that
so get some twigs and stuff
time to be broody!

~~~~~

Written in response to this week’s Tanka Challenge hosted by Melissa, from Mom With a Blog
The Double Ennead is a form created by Colleen Chesebro for 99-word stories at Carrot Ranch. The Double Ennead is composed of three stanzas of 33 syllables each, for a total of 99. Each stanza has lines with the following syllable counts: 6/5/11/6/5. For an example of a Double Ennead poem, click here.

#TankaTuesday Poetry Challenge No. 40, Double Ennead, 11/25/2025

A Veil

Chris Hall38 Comments

canva.com

tanka Puente

a veil of mystery
whatever can be revealed
something hides its face
the waves draw back and forward
a pinnacle will fly out

“Mysteries are feminine; they like to veil themselves but still want to be seen and divined.”
Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel

my moon is displayed
so bright – full of energy
yet the veil pulls down
such a strange conundrum
dear moon, come back again… please

~~~~~

Written in response to this week’s Tanka Challenge hosted by Yvette M. Calleiro
Yvette has chosen the word veil. There are several definitions for veil. Choose whichever version of the word that speaks to you, and write a syllabic poem of your choosing.

#TankaTuesday Poetry Challenge No. 37, The Veil, 11/04/25

Just whisper

Chris Hall35 Comments


a tiny frog is hiding in my lovely arum lilies

~~~

spring leaps up
it’s a glorious time
when bees hum

nectar blooms
while arum lilies
just whisper

fearless day
as a tiny frog
burrows in

~~~

Basho style haiku
Written in response to this week’s Tanka Challenge hosted by Selma

#TankaTuesday Poetry Challenge No. 32, Haiku Like Bashō, 09/30/25

Just One Day

Chris Hall60 Comments

this is my pond just at the moment, there are several tiny frogs around up there

the pond is alive
small frogs are making merry
with some willow fluff

spring dawn is the day
young grasses wave to them
frogs are on the move

they begin to climb
staring at the bright blue sky
they’ll take to the trees

~~~

Written in response to this week’s Tanka Challenge hosted by Yvette M. Calleiro

TankaTuesday Poetry Challenge No. 31, Just One Day, 09/23/25

White Dew

Chris Hall42 Comments

a new beginning
bugs come out, so that’s handy
the white dew glistens
tranquil… could’ve been, but no
it’s a Venus flytrap, whoops

~~~

Written in response to this week’s Tanka Challenge – from Colleen – very useful!
p.s. – I’m in the springtime… in the southern hemisphere.

#TankaTuesday Poetry Challenge No. 30, 24 Seasons, 9/16/25

Sunday Roast

Chris Hall33 Comments

It was a big Sunday roast, and all the crowd were here, since it was Granny’s birthday. I was the youngest, and I giggled out loud when I saw those bloomers from everyone. She also laughed, in fact, she had to wipe her eyes, using her pretty hankie, which always had the scent of lavender.

I had a little job on Sunday. I would walk down the long back garden, passing the huge fig tree – what a brilliant smell – then I picked some spearmint leaves, and brought them back to the kitchen.

Then soon it was lunchtime and all those smells were divine. There was roast spuds – just a half one for me though, and a little lamb, but best was the mint sauce, not too much, not too little, just the right amount – just heaven!

such a lovely day
we had eaten gorgeous food,
but gosh, those bloomers!

~~~

It’s a haibun – lovely memories!

Written in response to this week’s Tanka Challenge hosted by Willow

TankaTuesday Poetry Challenge No. 29, Memories, 09/09/25

Just a window

Chris Hall49 Comments

my photo – rather strange

the small pond glistened
some tiny birds winged away
I smiled at the crane
since I felt so blissful then
let me think some more nice thoughts

I smelled the coffee
and I continued to drink
looking at the sky
I suddenly saw my hands
I felt so very alive

~~~~~
~~~

Melissa introduces a creative writing challenge inspired by Maggie Queeney.
Participants observe from a window, write about their surroundings, and create a tanka poem using sensory imagery and personal reflections.

Written in response to this week’s Tanka Challenge hosted by Mom With a Blog.

#TankaTuesday Poetry Challenge No. 28, Tanka: Looking Through Windows, 09/02/25

Busy…

Chris Hall41 Comments


we are so busy
this is me, I’m a squirrel
and who’s over there?
tiny wax bills and sun birds
we’re chattering and chirping

there’s two pretty doves
and a couple of weavers
I’m going up now
there are so many creatures
just paradise, isn’t it

~~~

Personification – so interesting!
Written in response to this week’s Tanka Challenge hosted by Robbie Cheadle.

#TankaTuesday Poetry Challenge No. 27, Personification, 08/26/25