Tanka Writing Roundtable
EN 170-01 (CRN 30279)
Spring 2024 - room SH422

All writing assignments are to be submitted by email attachment by midnight on Sunday before each class period. Please save your files as RTF "Rich Text Format" or DOC format documents and include your initials or name with each file sent. PLEASE no PDF docs.

Send them to: rbrooks@millikin.edu

1. Sharing and discussing favorite tanka from the reading assignments
    (emailed responses due midnight Sunday before the class).

2. Critical reading discussion on tanka aesthetics and poetics.

3. Writing tanka & writing about favorite kukai selections by each other.

When referring to a tanka by any author, please use the following means of citation. Always type the entire tanka (DO NOT CHANGE CAPITAL LETTERS or WORD SPACING!). Then include the author and an abbreviation of the publication source. For example, here is a tanka by Sanford Goldstein from the anthology, The Tanka Anthology:
 
Anne Frank,
how you scribbled,
endured,
and now I tramp up these stairs
they hurried you down
 
Sanford Goldstein, The Tanka Anthology, 58

Course Assignments Schedule:

for 1/24 (in & after class)

in class - The Tanka Anthology: reading and sharing responses 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?

(1) after class - write about 1 of your favorite tanka from The Tanka Anthology. How do you imagine it? How does it make you feel? Why do you like it?

Due midnight Wednesday 1/24 EMAIL your assignments to me at: rbrooks@millikin.edu

for 1/31

in class - kukai 1 favorites
 
(2) reading response assignment: The Tanka Anthology, introduction and poets through page 35. Write down any questions you have about tanka from the introduction. Do you know where the Tanka Society of America was founded?
 
(3) response writing assignment: write reader response paragraphs about 2 favorite tanka

Response paragraph guidelines:
 
• type the tanka exactly as published (don't add capital letters or new line breaks
• include the author's name, short or abbreviated book title, and page number
 
Like this:
 
second time
through the spook house
the confidence
of little brother’s
guided tour
 
Randy Brooks, Walking the Fence, 33

(4) tanka writing assignment: write 3-5 tanka in response to tanka you are reading or from recent life experiences.

You may want to start a tanka writing journal (on your computer or in an actual journal book). Just write tanka in your journal then you can select 3-5 of your best to share each week.

Due by midnight Sunday 1/28: EMAIL your assignments to me at: rbrooks@millikin.edu

for 2/7

(5) Write a paragraph about a favorite tanka from kukai 1 favorites.
 
(6) tanka editing assignment: write variations of 2 tanka from the tanka to edit 1 • tanka edited
 
(7) reading assignment: "A Quick Start Guide to Writing Tanka" by Jeanne Emrich in Tanka Teacher's Guide and write about what was most helpful advice for you.
 
(8) write 3-5 new tanka

Due midnight Sunday 2/4: EMAIL your assignments to me at: rbrooks@millikin.edu

for 2/14
 
(9) response writing assignment: The Tanka Anthology, pages 120-203. Write reader response paragraphs to two favorite tanka.
 
(10) reading assignment: "Defining Tanka" & "About Taika" & "What is Tanka?" in Tanka Teacher's Guide. Extra credit write a response to these definition pieces.
 
(11) write 3-5 new tanka (including 1 or 2 Valentine's Day tanka)

Due midnight Sunday 2/11: EMAIL your assignments to me at: rbrooks@millikin.edu

for 2/21

in class - tanka kukai 3

(12) Write a paragraph for 2 favorite tanka from kukai 2 favorites
 
(13) reading assignment: "Tanka Form" & "A Tanka Repair Kit" in Tanka Teacher's Guide
 
(14) response writing assignment: Randy Brooks, Walking the Fence, intro - 67. Write a paragraph about the introduction and reader response paragraphs to two favorite tanka.
 
(15) write 3-5 or more new tanka from your life memories

Due midnight Sunday 2/18: EMAIL your assignments to me at: rbrooks@millikin.edu

for 2/28
 
in class - tanka kukai 4

(16) Write a paragraph for 2 favorite tanka from kukai 3 favorites
 
(17) reading: Randy Brooks, Walking the Fence, 69 - end. Write reader response paragraphs to two favorite tanka.
 
(18) writing tanka: write 3-5 imaginative spin-offs from some of Brooks’ tanka from your own life

Due midnight Sunday 2/25: EMAIL your assignments to me at: rbrooks@millikin.edu

for 3/6

in class - tanka kukai 5
 
(19) kukai 4 response assignment: write paragraph responses to 2 favorites.
 
(20) response writing assignment: read Moon’s Edge by Natalie Perfetti and write about 2 favorite tanka.
 
(21) response comparison: write a comparison of a matched pair of tanka by Brooks and Perfetti (or others from The Tanka Anthology)
 
(22) write 3-5 new tanka

Due midnight Sunday 3/3: EMAIL your assignments to me at: rbrooks@millikin.edu

for 3/13

(23) kukai 5 favorites response assignment: write paragraph responses to 2 favorites.
 
(24) reading response assignment: read Tawara's Salad Anniversary handout and write about 2 favorites
 
(25) write 3-5 or more new tanka. Try writing some tanka based on objects or everyday things that are significant because of the memories or emotions they hold for you.

Due midnight Sunday 3/10: EMAIL your assignments to me at: rbrooks@millikin.edu

SPRING BREAK! – (week of March 18 – 22) no class 3/20

for 3/27 - editing workshop
 
(26) writing 3-5 or more new tanka about Spring Break. OR just keep a Spring Break Tanka journal.

(27 ) kukai 6 favorites response assignment: write a response to 2 favorite tanka.

Due midnight Sunday 3/24: EMAIL your assignments to me at: rbrooks@millikin.edu

for 4/3

(28 ) kukai 7 favorites response assignment: write a response to 2 favorite tanka.

(29) reading response assignment: Modern Japanese Tanka, intro through pages intro - 156. Write a brief response to the introduction and write response paragraphs to 2 favorite Japanese tanka.

(30) writing 3-5 tanka

Due midnight Sunday 4/1: EMAIL your assignments to me at: rbrooks@millikin.edu

for 4/10

(31) kukai 8 favorites response assignment: write a response to 2 favorite tanka.
 
(32) reading response assignment: (28) Read these two tanka sequences and Write a 1-page response to one of the sequences pointing out favorite tanka and threads:

"Cicada Chorus" tanka trio and “What Luck, A Summer Tanka Quartet”

Due midnight Sunday 4/7: EMAIL your assignments to me at: rbrooks@millikin.edu

for 4/17

(33) kukai 9 favorites - response assignment: write a response to 2 favorite tanka
 
(34) collaborative round-robin tanka sequence writing

Collaborative tanka sequences with teams WRITE A SEQUENCE OF 15-21 TANKA. Always indicate authors with name abbreviations. You may write one long sequence of 15-21 tanka or two shorter 7-link sequences.

Edit links, give the sequence a title, sned your team's sequence to Dr. Brooks by 4/16.

OPTIONS - solo string or sequence. OR writing with others outside the class. Or just with Dr. Brooks.

Due midnight Sunday 4/14: EMAIL your assignments to me at: rbrooks@millikin.edu

for 4/24

in class - kukai 10
 
(35) sequences response assignment: write a response to 2 favorite sequences

ARTIST LIVING
by
Skylyr Choe & Sophie Nicholson

AT WATER'S EDGE
by
McKenna Beals & Skylyr Choe

WATERMARKS
by
Josh Lowe & Randy Brooks

MOM & ME
by
Leah Flint, Eden Niebrugge & Sophie Nicholson

(36) reading response assignment: Modern Japanese Tanka, pages 157-240. Write response paragraphs to 2 favorites.
 
(37) write 3-5 new tanka on books, letters, writing, poetry, notes, fortune cookies

Due midnight Sunday 4/21: EMAIL your assignments to me at: rbrooks@millikin.edu

for 5/1
 
in class - kukai 11
 
(39) write about 3 favorites from kukai 10 favorites
 
(40) write 3-5 new tanka - optional prompts - liar, cheat, broken, spy

Due midnight Sunday 4/28: EMAIL your assignments to me at: rbrooks@millikin.edu

for 5/8
 
last day of class -kukai 12 favorites

(41) kukai response - write about your favorite 3 from kukai 11 favorites
 
(42) bring: your signature tanka bookmark gift for exchange
 
(43) 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.

(44) bring: your tanka collection chapbook including your introduction, a title, and optional reader's introduction
 

Due midnight Sunday 5/5: EMAIL your assignments to me at: rbrooks@millikin.edu

for Friday, May 17 - 12:00 - 1:50pm

Final Exam is a Millikin University Tanka Reading - SH422
 
(45) Reflection writing 1: What are 3 of your favorite tanka you have written this semester?  Why are these your favorites?
 
(46) Reflection writing 2: Also write about what you have learned about yourself through this course on tanka writing. How will this course help as you develop a life of meaning and value? What have you learned about writing tanka from this course?

Due midnight Sunday 5/12: EMAIL your assignments to me at: rbrooks@millikin.edu