autumn rain
the coat I haven’t
worn in
over a year
still smells of her
Twenty Years Tanka Splendor, 2009
Dick Whyte
Commentary: Dick Whyte’s tanka speaks of smells from the past, from memory. Yet there are smells of the present-day in this – the autumn rain, and a coat that is likely infused with its own slightly musty smell from not being used. The suggestion of these scents adds a deeper level of meaning to this tanka.
-- excerpted from "To the Lighthouse: Sensing Tanka: Perceiving Life Beyond the Ordinary" by David Terelinck
FYI: The following tanka could be read as a sequel to Dick's:
thick coat
hanging like fur ...
is it
the autumn wind
or the future that chills you
Moments from Red Hill, 2013
Paul Williamson
One of my favorite tanka by Dick Whyte. It's a sublime poem.
ReplyDeleteCheers Chen-ou. Thanks for the shout out. Such an old poem - glad to see it still gets around. <3 For anyone who's interested, you can find my new work on my Substack: https://forgottenpoets.substack.com/
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