Hello, beautiful readers! This week is not only the last #TankaTuesday Poetry Challenge of the year but also the last one ever (or at least, for a very long time). 😢 After eight years of creating these challenges, poet Colleen Chesebro is venturing into new paths in 2025. While I'm sad to see this end, I'm excited for the projects she will bring in the future.
This week, Colleen has challenged us to find our Native American zodiac animal and write a syllabic poem about it.
My Native American zodiac animal is a wolf. When reading the description of the Wolf totem, I felt instantly connected. It describes me perfectly! To learn more about the Wolf totem, click here and here.
I chose to write a tanka prose today. A tanka prose consists of a paragraph of prose and a tanka poem (five lines with a syllabic pattern of 5-7-5-7-7). Tanka proses are always titled.
(courtesy of @CallaNegra on Pixabay)
The Wolf Within
Leaning against the wall, I silently observe my surroundings, making sure danger does not lurk in the darkness. Those around me talk, laugh, and merrily mingle. I absorb their joyous energy and send gratitude for their friendship and for their understanding of my need to sometimes be a wallflower among them. Feeling nothing but the love radiating from the group, I step into the light and join the party, freely dancing to the music.
alone within pack
protective of family
keenly refined senses
instinctively spots danger
follows the enlightened path
I've only been a part of the #TankaTuesday poetry community for the past two years, but I have met wonderful people and am grateful for being allowed into their group. Luckily, several poets have their own challenges that they host, so I hope to start joining in new challenges in the new year. As I do, I will share my poetry with you here, and maybe you can join me in writing!
If you'd like to end the year by finding your zodiac animal and writing a poem, click here. Happy New Year, everyone! :-)
Very nice. I get a real sense of the wolf's need for indendence within the pack.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Heather! I'm glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for visiting! :-)
DeleteI enjoyed your post and the poem, Yvette! I need to find out more about Colleen's plan. I know she's quite busy with her publishing.
ReplyDeleteYes, she is Miriam! She's taking a break from hosting a weekly challenge, but she is still writing poetry and stories. She's listed other weekly challenges in the margin of her site, so we can still connect through poetry via other poets' challenges. :-)
DeleteThe Anonymous is me, Yvette.
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed your poem..never really envisaged you as a wallflower:) Thank you for your visits. I recommend Poets and Storytellers United or What's Going On poetry blog. I write for both of these weekly blogs. Hope to read you again. Happy New Year !
ReplyDeleteI will look into them, Rall! Thanks for sharing those! I am an introverted extrovert in my personal life. I am actually quite shy until I am able to discern whether you are safe to let into my space. Then, I lower my guard and show you my true self. As an author and teacher, I have to play by different rules and am able to share freely that which pertains to that role. :-)
DeleteWonderful poetry! Happy New Year, Yvette.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year, Mark! Thanks for the compliment and for stopping by! :-)
DeleteI love this, Yvette!! I am a firm believer in animal totems and the wolf is a wonderfully strong totem!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jan! I easily embrace this totem as I feel a true connection with it. Thanks for visiting! :-)
DeleteWhat a beautiful Tanka prose to end the year and the challenge, Yvette. I connected with your poem immediately (even though I'm a goose! Which somehow fits. Lol). And I'm glad you've found other poetic challenges to join. I would miss your poetry. Have a beautiful new year, my friend.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year, Diana! And thank you for the kind words! I look forward to continuing to connect with you through poetry and stories. :-)
DeleteYvi, this is beautiful! I love how you gave the wolf a personality! Fabulous. We will stay in touch. I will miss your poetry. Thank goodness you have the comments emailed to us now. It's life changing. ❤️
ReplyDeleteI have no idea what change I made to have the comments emailed to you, but I'm glad I made it. Lol! Thanks for your continued support, Colleen! I look forward to staying in touch and sharing poetry with each other. :-)
Delete(Jules) It is amazing how we can connect to the many different types of Zodiac interpretations. Some that overlaps and some that hints at new things.
ReplyDeleteYes to friends we have met through Tanka Tuesday and continuing to share where we go and what we write :)