According to Wikipedia, Tanka (短歌, “short poem”^?) is a genre of classical Japanese poetry and one of the major genres of Japanese literature.

A tanka consists of 5 lines and 31 syllables. Each line has a set number of syllables see below:

Line 1 – 5 syllables
Line 2 – 7 syllables
Line 3 – 5 syllables
Line 4 – 7 syllables
Line 5 – 7 syllables

This is my 51st Tanka poem of 2017 and I am well on my way to putting together a collection of poems to reflect the struggles of disabled people in 21st century Britain. I would like to publish these poems in a book to be released in 2018, but I need an illustrator to help me add images to my words and create the type of book that I envisage. If you are a budding artist, or know of one, then please do get in touch.

Farewell to a hero

On an emotional day

Smiles mixed with tears

As proud Welshmen remember

A gentleman without chains

In loving memory of Brian Thirsk who introduced me to the following quote to encourage me to excel.

Workers of the world unite; you have nothing to lose but your chains.

Karl Marx

It worked.