New poetry collection available as a PDF download!

"Snow Falling on Chimes", a collection of Japanese waka poetry is available as a PDF download from An Eight Shot of Espresso's new website!

http://8thshotespresso.yolasite.com/

It will be free from the site until January 1st. After that date, it will be $1.00 to download from Smashwords.

All original writing and art copyright A. Dameron 2000-2012

E-books now on Smashwords.com (available for e-readers!)

My three e-books are available on Smashwords.com, available for download on your e-reader (Kobo, Nook, etc.).

Here is the link to my Smashwords Author Page. The links to "A Patchwork of Life", "Under the Sakura Tree" and "From the Dark Side of Shadow" on the page (under my contact information).

http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/mamajava1

Here is the link to the same e-books on Scribd.com

http://www.scribd.com/rosalyn_dameron

All downloads on both sites are $1.00.

Thanks!

"Under the Sakura Tree" now available on Scribd. com

My collection of Japanese poetry (waka) titled, "Under the Sakura Tree" is now available on Scribd. com.

Here is the link: http://www.scribd.com/doc/64022274/Under-the-Sakura-Tree

This collection includes haiku (5-7-5 syllables), choka (a long poem with stanzas of alternative 5-7 syllables each, and the last stanza ends in 5-7-7) and tanka (5-7-5-7-7). Subjects range from nature to tea and chocolate, from the thoughts of cats and musings on the night. Many of the poems are accompanied by original artwork.

Stop and by and take a look! Thanks!

Annie

The Tao of Book Layouts...

I'm currently in the process of putting together my e-book of Japanese poetry, "Under the Sakura Tree". It includes several forms of waka, or Japanese verse. The most familiar is the haiku, with on of 5-7-5. On literally means 'sound parts', which in English is translated to 'syllables'. Other forms include:

choka ("long poems"), which consists of stanzas of lines of alternating 5-7 syllables. The three lines of the very last stanza are 5-7-7.

Tanka ("short poems") have the pattern 5-7-5-7-7.

Finally, sedoka ("memorized poems") are 5-7-7-5-7-7. 

Last week, I went through my paintings, sketches and drawings to find artwork that matched some of the poetry. The challenge was to find a way to balance the text with the illustrations. I could have easily stuck the pictures randomly, but that would have ruined the flow of the book. The Japanese (and other East Asian cultures) put high value on harmony, whether it be relations between people or a nature painting.

Years ago, I spent long hours drawing layouts on graph paper, as the staff of my high school yearbook raced to meet publishing deadlines. I remember counting tiny squares, drawing straight lines with rulers, and labeling the locations of text and pictures. Everything had to be precise; if we were off by just one square in any direction, it meant starting over with a new layout. Obviously this was before desktop publishing and pre-Internet. Yes, it was time-consuming and tedious as anything. I learned hard lessons during those long hours...you had to be exact in your measurements to place items just right. 

Technology makes that a thing of the past. An author can use templates to make an e-book, newsletter, or website in moments. Gone are the rulers, the graph paper, and the frustration. Yet convenience doesn't excuse a jumbled mess: if a book isn't formatted correctly and appears to be slapped together at the last minute, I'm not inclined to go past the first paragraph. Form follows function, and vice versa. Balance between text and illustration, or text and white space help the reader along the page. He or she can easily follow your plot (or logical progression of information) without getting lost and frustrated. It makes it more likely the reader will read to the last word.

So I'll look at the pieces of my puzzle and put them together:

 

I gaze over there

of a soul's worth of poems:

Now to weave them whole.

Preview: Cover of upcoming haiku poetry collection, " Under the Sakura Tree"

 

                                                                              

"Under the Sakura Tree"

acrylic

© 2011 by A. Dameron

 

Here is the cover to my upcoming haiku poetry collection, "Under the Sakura Tree". Sakura is the Japanese word for cherry blossom. The tree and its flowers represent hardiness, beauty and grace. Haiku is a form of Japanese poetry. Although there are many variations of it, one of the most common (and familiar to Westerners) is the three line, five-seven-five syllable form. Five syllable for the first line, seven for the second, and five for the third. 

Haiku is a form of waka (Japanese poetry).

Choka is a poem with 5 syllables in the first line, 7 in the second, and alternates 5-7 until the last three lines, which are 5-7-7.

Tanka is another form of waka, with the pattern 5-7-5-7-7.

Targeted date of release:first week of September 2011.

 

Tanka Poetry (Japanese literature, part I)

Tanka is a form of poetry that has its origins in Japan's Heian period (c. 1100 AD). It's a subgenre of Japanese classical poetry, called waka. Sometimes whole collections of Japanese poetry is written in this style, including the Tales of Ise and the Tales of Yamato.

The syllable pattern of tanka is 5-7-5-7-7 per line, no matter which language. The first part (5-7-5) is called the kami-no-ku, or "upper phrase", while the second part (7-7) is called the shimo-no-ku, or "lower phrase". If the kami-no-ku looks familiar, it's the same pattern as the well-known haiku.

Many poets use wordplay and puns in their tanka, and some verses are difficult to understand without knowing about the cultural issues of the time. Two Heian-era pieces that use tanka are The Tales of Genji by Lady Murasaki and The Pillow Book by Sei Shonogon.

Here's an example of tanka in English:

Where is the small cat? (5)
He is not hiding out there. (7)
He is not inside. (5)
We will have to search for him. (7)
Ah! A tail is sticking out! (7)

Here's another one (for baseball fans)

Pat the Bat asks you: (5)
What can I wear for tonight (7)
for a big party? (5)
Catcher's mitt, cleats, and billed cap: (7)
It's time for the World Series! (7)

Challenge: Write your own tanka!

All original writing and art copyright A. Dameron 2000-2010