For Mother’s Day and Colleen Chesebro’s #Tanka Tuesday
#Poetry Challenge No. 224, #Poet’sChoice.
her gentle spirit
a mother’s essence
etched into my heart
missing her
peaceful soul
Gogyohka (pronounced go-gee-yoh-kuh)
~ a form of Japanese poetry pioneered by Enta Kusakabe in the 1950s
~ 5-line poetry ~ like tanka, but with freedom from restraints
~ no fixed syllable requirement
~ no conventions regarding content
~ brief lines in keeping with the tradition of Japanese short verse
This gogyohka started as two senryū, but I wanted to express it in one verse.
her essence
etched into my heart
loving soul
a gentle spirit
memories that never leave
peaceful soul lingers
rivrvlogr 
Wonderful loving work, KG. I coincidentally had a Tanka Morning too. Salute.
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Thank you, Ron.
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Lovely, heartfelt poem, Ken.
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Thank you, Merril. It’s been nearly thirteen years. It seems like yesterday.
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Yes, that’s the way it often is.
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Both versions are appealing (endearing)
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Thank you. 🙂
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Lovely. I wish I had more of my birth mother’s memories. She passed when I was young and the adults at the time seemed to bury her memories too – they didn’t share anything. So I treasure the little bit I have a (and those few stories I know from folks who were willing to speak after decades passed).
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Thank you, Jules.
I regret not asking more about my parents’ lives, once they were gone.
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A nice one for Mothers Day, Ken.
I know what you mean by not asking enough questions about parents lives. My daughter did a family tree when she was little so she bombarded everyone with questions. Now that Family Tree is a treasure in our family🙂. Out of the mouth of babes, right 🙂.
Pat
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Thank you, Pat.
Yes, I wish I’d asked more questions when I was younger, and the details were fresh in my parents’ memories.
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A nice one for Mothers Day, Ken.
I know what you mean by not asking enough questions about parents lives. My daughter did a family tree when she was little so she bombarded everyone with questions. Now that Family Tree is a treasure in our family🙂. Out of the mouth of babes, right 🙂.
Pat
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