Returning is a powerful collection of Mother Nature tanka poems that perfectly intertwine throughout the seasons of our Earth. There is a deep spirituality within the pages that convey a reverence for all living things. A must-read for all tanka lovers.

 

Pamela A. Babusci

Editor of: moonbathing: a journal of women's tanka

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In Returning, Michelle Hyatt and Jacob D. Salzer offer an evocative journey through the changing seasons of the northern hemisphere. Although drawing upon images from the natural world, tanka is a deeply personal poetry—yet when written in tandem, a synergy is created that expresses essential truths of our shared human experience. These paired tanka reflect and enhance our perception of the world.

 

Julie Thorndyke

Editor, Eucalypt: a tanka journal

 

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The tanka genre of poetry is short, often 5-line lyrical bursts of song. In addition to the familiar genre of tanka is the less familiar pairing of tanka by two close friends and colleagues. When we see these tanka pairs, we are into something even more special.

 

The pairing of tanka is called “sômonka (corresponsive poems often were written as greetings, congratulations, or … exchanges on specific occasions).” —Peipei Qiu, Bashō and the Dao: The Zhuangzi and the Transformation of Haikai, p. 61

 

We could say the first tanka is a statement and the second tanka is the response by the next poet. This book shows how closely working together brings an incredible fusion of two people and one beautifully enhancing work of art. I highly recommend this collection.

 

Alan Summers

founder, Call of the Page