The Daughter of Time and the Fisherman
A Somonka
Soon after you left
us — tired of sullen sails
my dear father
you will cast your fishing line
with joy in Heavenly lakes.
When you cried for me
I dared into your dreams
peeling sacred seams
my dear daughter of TIME
for you to never worry.
This somonka is written in response to Literary Impulse’s prompt for the month of August, “Uncommon Poetic Forms.”
The somonka is basically two tankas(5–7–5–7–7 syllable format) written as two love letters to each other (one tanka per love letter). This form usually demands two authors, but it is possible to have a poet take on two personas.
I am responding to Dr. Amy Pierovich’s beautiful and deep somonka. Amy’s somonka may be found below. I invite any of my fellow poets to write a somonka. Somsubhra Banerjee’s informative piece describes fifteen uncommon poetic forms, including the somonka.
