Syllabic
Tanka Day for 2015
Tanka
is one of the oldest continuously practiced syllabic forms in the world. It has a written history of about 1400 years;
but I suspect its origins go back into the mists of time. In Japan it is the central poetic form out of
which both renga and haiku have emerged.
Over
all the centuries that tanka have been written the syllabic shape has remained
the same: five lines with a syllable count of 5-7-5-7-7. This generates a beautiful rhythm which
always reminds me of paddling down a stream in a canoe.
The
transmission of tanka to the west has been rough; it has not generated nearly
as much interest as haiku. And interest
in specifically syllabic tanka is even smaller.
There are a number of reasons for this; a general tilt among modern
poets towards free verse, the lack of a strong poetic voice in ELT who takes a syllabic approach to act as an
example for others, and the lack of any organizational support for a syllabic
approach to ELT. There are probably
others as well. Still, there are a small
number of poets who have taken a syllabic, traditional, approach to ELT. And there a number of resources that can
assist those interested in a syllabic approach to ELT; primarily these are the
superb translations of Japanese tanka into English which adhere to the syllabic
shape of the original Japanese.
The
translations of Edwin A. Cranston are unsurpassed in this regard. Cranston has published two volumes containing
tanka translations. The first is A Waka Anthology Volume One: The
Gem-Glistening Cup. This volume
contains translations of poems from the earliest sources through the Manyoshu
and a little bit beyond. By far the
largest section is devoted to the Manyoshu.
This is a very rich anthology. I
took a full year to read it. The
translations are preceded by the translator’s discussion of the sources. And individual poets are preceded by remarks
about their overall output. And individual
poems are preceded by notes that illuminate references and allusions. It might seem that all this material from the
translator would be burdensome.
Remarkably, it is not. The notes
are informative and are not overburdened with technical terms. They have a tone that resembles having a
learned Uncle by your side, assisting you as you go through the material.
Volume
Two is called A Waka Anthology: Volume
Two: Grasses of Remembrance. This
volume is divided into two sections, which are published as separate books;
Part A and Part B. Part A contains
translations from the court commissioned anthologies of waka (aka tanka) which
have exerted such a huge influence on Japanese poetry. The translations contain selections from a
number of these including Kokinshu,
Gosenshu, and Goshuishu.
Part
B contains translations of all the waka found in The Tale of Genji. Genji contains 795 waka. The commentary places the waka into the
context of the story. This is a treasure
chest of waka verse.
Cranston
takes a basically syllabic approach to his translations. Cranston allows himself more freedom
regarding lineation than Helen McCullough did in her translation of the
complete Kokinwakashu (I believe
Cranston studied with McCullough). But
the syllabic count of the original has a central place in Cranston’s
approach. Here is an example from Part
B:
Dweller
by the bay,
To
those sleeves that draw the brine
Try
comparing this:
A
night garment sealed away
From
the reach of the road of waves.
(Page
761)
The
count is 5-7-5-7-8; a close rendering of the original syllabic shape. One observation; I have noticed that often
when Cranston translates his line count will be a few counts longer than the
traditional rather than shorter. This is
important information because it runs counter to the minimalist views held by
those who have adopted the nihonjinron view of the Japanese language. In general, I have observed that translators
of Japanese poetry, particularly traditional waka/tanka, into English do not
fall into minimalism.
For
those who are attracted to the traditional syllabic approach to tanka, I
recommended these volumes. They will
help you, guide you, and offer you exemplars.
Structurally they offer many examples of tanka in various
configurations; such as the single sentence, the two part type, several
sentences, and juxtaposition. They also
show the lushness of the tanka tradition and its commitment to the full range
of human emotions.
The
one drawback is the price: these are expensive volumes. If they are beyond your budget, and for many
they will be, particularly the second volume, you might want to see if you can
borrow them from a library using interlibrary loan. They are published by Stanford University
Press which has an execrable track record for making material like this
available to a larger audience. It
appears, like many University Presses, that they are not really interested in
granting access to this material by those who might reside outside the
University. That’s too bad. It is my hope that at some point in the
future Stanford will make these specific volumes, and other related volumes,
available at a more reasonable price.
Still,
I have seen used copies every now and then at Amazon offered at a reasonable
price; so if you have an interest you might want to tag them and grab a
reasonably priced copy when it appears.
Act fast; I have seen them come and go very quickly.
Overall,
I am optimistic about syllabic tanka, meaning traditional tanka, eventually
taking root as ELT. It is a slow
process, but it strikes me that the translations have given ELT a rich trove of
syllabic tanka upon which ELT can be nourished.
A
Waka Anthology: Volume 1
The
Gem-Glistening Cup
Translated
with a Commentary and Notes by
Edwin
A. Cranston
ISBN:
9780804731577
Paperback
$49.95
A
Waka Anthology: Volume 2
Grasses
of Remembrance
(Part
A and Part B sold together)
Translated
with a Commentary and Notes by
Edwin
A. Cranston
ISBN:
9780804748254
Hardback
$180.00
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