for
8/26 (in class)
in class - tanka
reading: reading and sharing response to tanka from The Tanka Anthology. What is the reader's experience of a tanka? How does a tanka work from a reader's perspective?
for
9/2 (email your tanka and reading responses to me by midnight Sunday 8/30)
reading assignment:
The Tanka Anthology, introduction and poets through page 35
response writing assignment:
write a paragraph of your questions from the introduction and brief reader response paragraphs to two favorite tanka
where was the Tanka Society of America founded?
Response paragraph guidelines:
(1) type the tanka exactly as published (don't add capital letters or new line breaks
(2) include the author's name, an abbreviation of the book title, and page number
Like this:
quite by surprise
my daughter asks me
if I'd like to be a woman
the gravity in the moment
I took to answer
Tom Clausen, TTA, 34
tanka
writing assignment: write
five tanka attempts in response to tanka you are reading or from your own recent life experiences
for 9/9 (emails due by midnight on Sunday 9/6)
in class - tanka kukai 1
reading assignment: The Tanka Anthology, pages 36-119
response writing assignment:
write reader response paragraphs to two favorite tanka
reading assignment: "A Quick Start Guide to Writing Tanka" by Jeanne Emrich in Tanka Teacher's Guide
kukai response assignment: select your favorite tanka from Kukai 1 and write a paragraph response to it.
writing tanka: write five new tanka and email them to me by Sunday midnight (try 1-2 tanka in memorium of 9-11)
for 9/16 (emails due by midnight on Sunday 9/13)
reading assignment: The Tanka Anthology, pages 120-203
response writing assignment:
write reader response paragraphs to two favorite tanka
tanka editing assignment: write variations of 2 or 3 tanka from the Tanka to Edit 1
reading assignment: "Defining Tanka" & "About Taika" & "What is Tanka?" in Tanka Teacher's Guide
writing tanka: email five new tanka attempts
for 9/23 (email due midnight 9/20)
in class - tanka editing workshop 1
reading assignment: "Tanka Form" & "A Tanka Repair Kit" in Tanka Teacher's Guide
kukai response assignment: select your favorite 5-6 tanka from Kukai 2 and write a paragraph response to 2 favorites.
writing tanka: email five or more new tanka attempts to Dr. Brooks by midnight Sunday
for 9/30 (email due midnight 9/27)
in class - tanka kukai 2
reading: Akiko Yosano, Tangled Hair, intro-tanka 56
response writing assignment:
write a paragraph of your questions from the introduction and brief reader response paragraphs to two favorite tanka
kukai response assignment: write a ¶ response to your favorite 2 tanka from kukai 2 and email them to me by midnight Sunday
writing tanka: write 5 or more haiku about complicated relationships or as imaginative spin-offs from some of Akiko's tanka
for 10/7 (email due midnight 10/4)
reading: Akiko Yosano, Tangled Hair, tanka 56-165
response writing assignment:
write reader response paragraphs to two favorite tanka
writing tanka: email five or more new tanka attempts to Dr. Brooks by midnight Sunday (exchange only 2 tanka for edit suggestions with your editing partners)
editing tanka partners: email revisions of any of your previously edited tanka (I only accept revisions from the original author)
EXTRA CREDIT OPPORTUNITY: Moon Viewing at Japan House
Monday, October 5, 6:30 pm
Tsukimi: Moon Viewing at Japan House
Experience the ritual of moon viewing, a festival with its roots in the Shinto religion. Take part in the tea ceremony and watch the moon rise.
RSVP required for tea ceremony. Held rain or shine. Presentations are free and open to all.
Japan House
2000 South Lincoln Avenue
Urbana, Illinois 61802
217-244-9934
www.japanhouse.art.illinois.edu
japanhouse@illinois.edu
To receive extra credit, attend the Moon Viewing and write a short prose response to the event including at least one tanka (or haiku).
for 10/14 (email due midnight 10/11)
in class - tanka kukai 3 & Matching Contest 1 & introduction to the collaborative round-robin tanka sequence
reading: "Night Owl" & "Green Tongues" tanka trios by Randy Brooks, Carmella Braniger, and Natalie Perfetti (download handouts from Moodle course)
response writing assignment:
write a one-page response to one of the sequences, pointing out favorite tanka and threads
kukai response assignment: write a ¶ response to your favorite 2 tanka from kukai 3 and email them to me by midnight Sunday
writing tanka: email five or more new tanka attempts to Dr. Brooks by midnight Sunday. Try writing some tanka based on objects or things that are significant because of the memories or emotions they hold for you.
for 10/21 (email due midnight 10/18)
reading: "Yosana Akiko" in Modern Japanese Tanka, pages 37-48
response writing assignment:
compare translations (Ueda versus Goldstein) of a favorite tanka by Akiko
writing tanka: start a collaborative sequence with friends or class partners and email me your startups as of Sunday midnight
writing tanka: email 5-10 new tanka attempts by Sunday midnight related to returns (homecoming, going home, back home, friends)
for 10/28 (email due midnight 10/25)
in class - matching contest 2 (homecoming or returns)
take home - matching contest 3 (harvest moon)
reading: Modern Japanese Tanka, intro through pages 36response writing assignment: write a brief response to the introduction noting questions you have about modern Japanese tanka & write response paragraphs to 2 favorite tanka
response writing 2 - complete the matching contest 3 (harvest moon) with family or friends and tell me about the pair that end up in the final grand champion round
writing tanka: email 5-10 new tanka attempts on fall break (I am especially interested in tanka that put us or take us to a special place for you and your closest friends or family and convey the aura of being there) by Sunday October 25 to Dr. Brooks
for 11/4 (email due midnight 11/1)
reading: Modern Japanese Tanka, pages 49-96
response writing assignment:
write response paragraphs to 2 favorite tanka
writing tanka: email 5-10 new haiku attempts by Sunday November 1 to Dr. Brooks on emotions of growing older or changing personality or losing connections to the past
for 11/11 (email due midnight 11/8)
in class - tanka kukai 4
reading: Modern Japanese Tanka, pages 97-156
response writing assignment:
write response paragraphs to 2 favorite tanka
writing tanka: email 5-10 new haiku attempts by Sunday November 8 to Dr. Brooks
kukai response assignment: write a ¶ response to your favorite 2 tanka from kukai 4
extra credit: attend the Millikin Literary festival and write a short response about attending a poetry workshop or reading (see the web site for details)
for 11/18 (email is due midnight 11/15)
reading: Modern Japanese Tanka, pages 157-204
response writing assignment:
write response paragraphs to 2 favorite tanka
writing tanka sequence: send me an update on your collaborative sequence with friends or class partners as of Sunday midnight November 15 (should have 12 or 15 links?)
writing tanka: email 5-10 new tanka attempts
11/25 - no class - THANKSGIVING BREAK
for 12/2 (email is due midnight 11/29)
in class - matching contest 5 (Thanksgiving)
reading: Modern Japanese Tanka, pages 205-240
response writing assignment:
write response paragraphs to 2 favorite tanka
matching contest - write about your favorite pair from Matching Contest 4
writing haiku: email 10 new haiku attempts by Sunday midnight 11/29 to Dr. Brooks on family and Thanksgiving
for 12/9 (email is due midnight Tuesday 12/8)
last day of class
bring: your signature tanka bookmark gift for exchange
bring: your tanka collection chapbook including your introduction, a title, and optional reader's introduction
reading response assignment: select your favorite tanka to go into your chapbook collection and share them with your reading buddy (or have your reading buddy help you select tanka to include in your collection) and write a title and introduction for your own collection and a response to a favorite by your tanka buddy. email me the tanka in final edit form and your exchanged introductions by midnight December 8.
Final Exam is a Millikin University Tanka Reading
Tuesday, December 15 • 2:00pm • Pilling Chapel
bring: your tanka submission (5 tanka on a page with your name & address in upper left hand corner, in an envelope, with an Self Addressed Envelope inside). Please include two stamps in the envelope, but do not stick the on the envelope in case I submit your work to foreign countries. Leave the outside envelope blank and I will send it to the magazine I think will most likely be interested in publishing your work.
bring: your tanka collaborative sequence edited and ready to be read (make a beautiful foldout edition)
bring: friends to the reading. extra credit for every friend you bring!