for
8/24 (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
8/31 (email your tanka and reading responses to me by midnight Sunday 8/28)
reading assignment:
The Tanka Anthology, introduction and poets through page 35
(1) response writing assignment:
write a paragraph about your questions from the introduction
(2) response writing assignment:
write brief reader response paragraphs to 2 favorite tanka
extra credit: where was the Tanka Society of America founded?
Response paragraph guidelines:
-- type the tanka exactly as published (don't add capital letters or new line breaks)
-- 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
(3) tanka
writing assignment: write
5-10 tanka attempts in response to tanka you are reading or from your own recent life experiences in your tanka journal
for 9/7 (emails due by midnight on Monday 9/5 - MONDAY because of the holiday weekend)
in class - tanka kukai 1
reading assignment: The Tanka Anthology, pages 36-119
(4) response writing assignment:
write reader response paragraphs to 2 favorite tanka
reading assignment: "A Quick Start Guide to Writing Tanka" by Jeanne Emrich in Tanka Teacher's Guide
(You may access and download this resource from the Moodle course web site: https://moodle.millikin.edu).
(5) tanka editing assignment: write variations of at least 2 tanka from the Tanka to Edit 1
(6) writing tanka: write five new tanka and email them to me by Monday midnight
for 9/14 (emails due by midnight on Sunday 9/11)
reading assignment: The Tanka Anthology, pages 120-203
(6) response writing assignment:
write reader response paragraphs to two favorite tanka
(7) kukai response assignment: select 2 favorite tanka from Kukai 1 and write paragraph responses to them.
reading assignment: "Defining Tanka" & "About Taika" & "What is Tanka?" in Tanka Teacher's Guide
(8) writing tanka: email five or more new tanka attempts
for 9/21 (email due midnight 9/18)
in class - tanka editing workshop 2
reading assignment: "Tanka Form" & "A Tanka Repair Kit" in Tanka Teacher's Guide
(9) editing tanka: write variations or edits of at least 3 of the tanka on Tanka to Edit 2. Send your edits to me by Sunday midnight.
(10) writing tanka: email five or more new tanka attempts to Dr. Brooks by midnight Sunday
for 9/28 (email due midnight 9/25)
in class - tanka kukai 2?
reading: Akiko Yosano, Tangled Hair, intro through tanka 56
(11) response writing assignment:
write a paragraph of your questions from the introduction
(Romanticism to Naturalism?) (court poetry to personal individualistic voice?)
(12) response writing assignment: reader response paragraphs to two favorite tanka
(13) matching contest response assignment: write about your favorite matched pair of tanka from Matching Contest 1 and email them to me by midnight Sunday
(14) writing tanka: write 5 or more tanka about complicated relationships or as imaginative spin-offs from some of Akiko's tanka
Tanka writing tip: PUT US THERE with an object or thing (noun-images) that immediately provides a broader context of where and when the tanka is taking place. Tanka imaginatively suspend us in time and space . . . THEN move us into the inner spaces of our thoughts, prayers, wishes, hopes, frustrations, feelings, emotions, conversation. The reader needs both to enter into these spaces.
for 10/5 (email due midnight 10/2)
reading: Akiko Yosano, Tangled Hair, tanka 56-165
(15) response writing assignment: write reader response paragraphs to one favorite tanka
reading: Moon's Edge by Natalie Perfetti
(16) response writing assignment: write reader response paragraphs to one favorite tanka
(17) response comparison: write a comparison of one tanka by Akiko with one by Natalie
(18) writing tanka challenge: email five or more new tanka about contentedness or peaceful contemplation (where or how do you find time to center yourself, to be at peace with yourself?) the challenge of feeling that everything is right in the world! send attempts to Dr. Brooks by midnight Sunday
(19) exchange only 2 tanka for edit suggestions with your editing partners and send your partner some editing alternatives & suggestions. original authors: email any revisions of your previously submitted tanka (I only consider revisions from the original author)
for 10/12 (email due midnight 10/9)
in class - tanka kukai 3 & introduction to the collaborative round-robin tanka sequence
reading: "Cicada Chorus" tanka trio by Randy Brooks, Carmella Braniger, and Aubrie Cox (download handouts from Moodle course) and "What Luck, A Summer Tanka Quartet" by Jackson Lewis, Carmella Jean Braniger, Randy Brooks & Joseph Bein.
(19) response writing assignment: write a one-page response to one of the sequences, pointing out favorite tanka and threads
(20) writing tanka: email 5-10 new tanka attempts by Sunday midnight related to returns (homecoming, going home, back home, friends)
for 10/19 (email due midnight 10/16)
in class - matching contest (homecoming or returns)
reading: "Yosana Akiko" in Modern Japanese Tanka, pages 37-48
(21) response writing assignment:
compare translations (Ueda versus Goldstein) of a favorite tanka by Akiko
(22) kukai response assignment: write a ¶ response to your favorite 2 tanka from kukai 2 and email them to me by midnight Sunday
(23) writing tanka: start a collaborative sequence with friends or class partners and email me your startups as of Sunday midnight (just start linking and see how many you get)
(24) writing tanka: email five or more new tanka attempts to Dr. Brooks by midnight Sunday. Try writing some tanka based on places that are significant because of the memories or emotions they hold for you.
for 10/26 (email due midnight 10/23)
reading: Modern Japanese Tanka, intro through pages 1-36
(25) response writing assignment: write a brief response to the introduction noting questions you have about modern Japanese tanka & write response paragraphs to 2 favorite tanka
(26) writing tanka: email 5-10 new tanka attempts on autumn chill (both inner and outer) by Sunday October 23 to Dr. Brooks
(27) writing tanka: continue your sequence exchange
for 11/2 (email due midnight 10/28)
reading: Modern Japanese Tanka, pages 49-96
(28) response writing assignment:
write response paragraphs to 2 favorite tanka
(29) kukai response assignment: write a ¶ response to your favorite 2 tanka from Matching Contest 2 or Matching Contest 3 and email them to me by midnight Sunday
(30) writing tanka: email 5-10 new haiku attempts by Sunday October 28 to Dr. Brooks on emotions of growing older or changing personality or losing connections to the past or Halloween or trolls
for 11/9 (email due midnight 11/6)
in class - writing a Halloween tanka sequence (Halloween, costumes, trick or treat, candy, ghosts, fantastical beasts, Wizard of Oz, Wicked, all saints day, prayer, carnival, the cold, darkness, haunting, coming of winter)
reading: Modern Japanese Tanka, pages 97-156
(31) response writing assignment:
write response paragraphs to 2 favorite tanka
(32) writing tanka: email 5-10 new haiku attempts by Sunday November 6 to Dr. Brooks
(33) send me your Halloween tanka sequence (include edit variations as needed). You can see an example PDF file version of one, Faceless Tombstone (pdf).
extra credit: attend the Millikin Literary festival and write a short response about attending a poetry workshop or reading (see the literary festival web site for details)
for 11/16 (email is due midnight 11/13)
reading: Modern Japanese Tanka, pages 157-204
(34) response writing assignment:
write response paragraphs to 2 favorite tanka
(35) kukai response assignment: write a ¶ response to your favorite 2 tanka from Matching Contest 4 or Kukai 3 and email them to me by midnight Sunday
(36) writing tanka sequence: send me an update on your collaborative sequence with friends or class partners as of Sunday midnight November 15 (should have 15 to 21 links?) Almost done!
(37) writing tanka: email 5-10 new tanka attempts on related to (Kukai champion's choice - ask Sam & Desi)
11/23 - no class - THANKSGIVING BREAK (November 19-27)
for 11/30 (email is due midnight Monday 11/28)
in class - matching contest 5 (Thanksgiving)
reading: Modern Japanese Tanka, pages 205-240
(38) response writing assignment:
write response paragraphs to 2 favorite tanka
(39) matching contest - write about your favorite pair from Matching Contest 5
(40) send your FINISHED tanka sequence, complete with a title (edit all bad links or ask for edit suggestions)
(41) writing haiku: email 10 new haiku attempts on family and Thanksgiving by Sunday midnight 11/28 to Dr. Brooks
for 12/7 (email is due midnight Tuesday 12/5)
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 5.
Final Exam is a Millikin University Tanka Reading
Tuesday, December 13 • 2:00-4:00pm • place Fireplace Room RTUC
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) We will vote on our favorite sequence at the final exam.
bring: friends to the reading. extra credit for every friend you bring!