What if?

Posted on by BonnieReadsAndWrites

Learning about Tanka poems today. Tanka poems are Japanese poems. They are 31 syllables, 5 lines. The first line has five syllables, the second 7, the third 5, and the last two lines have 7. The first three lines are supposed to evoke an image, and the last two describe an action based on that image.

Since I found out I have to get a biopsy today for a possible cancer scare, I wrote my first Tanka poem about it. Hopefully it will turn out to be nothing, but here are the thoughts in my head:

What If?

There’s a mass they said
Tests and doctors await me
Hospital is cold

I start to wonder what if?
Drawing up plans for battle.

The image I’m trying to evoke is of of course waiting to have tests done in a hospital or doctor’s office. The action would be my “plans for the worst” running around in my head.

The photo above is not of me. I hoped it could look like any woman, waiting.

The photo below is of my very favorite place, Deep Creek, part of the Smoky Mountain National Park and located in Bryson City, NC. That’s where I go in my mind to stay calm and where I go in person when I can.

Photo by Doug DeMoss

Hopefully I’ll find out in a few days that this was all nothing, but I wanted to get my thoughts down. My next poem will be about how waiting for medical news sucks.

I’ve just starting writing poetry after many years, so any feedback would be great.

Published by BonnieReadsAndWrites

I love to read and write book reviews in my free time. I review advance review copies of books on Netgalley for various publishers. I am also a reviewer for Historical Novels Review Magazine, the magazine of the Historical Novel Society. I review books from publishers of all size, large to small. I have a special place in my heart for indie authors. I will sometimes post a little writing that I might dabble in occasionally. I also am lucky enough to live in the Smoky Mountains, so I'll be sharing photos of the beauty around me from time to time.

28 thoughts on “What if?”

  8. I really liked your Tanka poem, Bonnie. Thanks to you I actually get it and I’m feeling a lot smarter now. The act of waiting for anything does suck, especially when it’s health-related. I’m looking forward to your next poem, and wishing you a quick and uplifting test result.

    Liked by 2 people

  9. I also learned about tanka relatively recently. I just finished writing a book of tanka. I’m finding it a very effective form for expressing certain emotions and experiences that can’t be expressed any other way. It appears from your last comment that your cancern scare is just a scare? (I hope!) I’ll be interested in reading more of your tanka (and other forms of poetry, if you’re so inspired).

    Liked by 2 people

  13. I am so glad that I arrived much later to read your post, and see the good news. Still, I can only imagine the anxiety you have from the experience. Your site is so inspiring, and I wish you success in all that you wish for. JJ

    Liked by 1 person

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