In AD 905, the standard poetic diction for the "perfect waka" was established, with the rule of 31 sound units in the pattern 5–7–5–7–7. Since then, although tanka poetry has evolved over the centuries, its form hasn't changed.
This collection of tanka by Fabrizio Frosini, although written in English, possess all the charm of the ancient Japanese waka poetry: in them you can savor the aesthetic principles of 'sabi' (the melancholic sense of beauty), or enjoy the feeling of 'yūgen' (mysterious depth), while the pathos of things ('mono no aware') encircles you, offering your thoughts depth of feeling ('ushin') and awareness of time and space. But let the poems speak for themselves...
Enjoy the reading