Submission Guidelines

American Tanka seeks concise, well-crafted, five-line tanka that evoke a specific moment in time. We tend to publish unique tanka with clear, concrete images; we avoid abstractions, cliches, and overcrowded poems. No matter the syllable count, we look for poems that echo the spirit of the original Japanese form while exhibiting contemporary relevance. We are NOT looking for imitations of Japanese poetry or aesthetics; we are looking for vibrant contemporary poetry that uses the aesthetic of the tanka form to express a real or imagined moment in the author’s time and culture. We will consider all kinds of approaches toward this achievement.

American Tanka welcomes submissions from anyone who has been writing tanka: experienced tanka poets, experienced poets in other forms, and novices. We strongly suggest that all newcomers to the form read and practice tanka for a while before submitting. American Tanka encourages everyone to try their hand at tanka and submit their best work. Every submission is carefully considered.

Submit up to five original, unpublished poems that are not under consideration elsewhere, along with a one-line “about the author” (30 words or fewer) using the form below or in the body of an e-mail to laura@lauramaffei.com with “Submission” in the subject. Please allow 8-12 weeks for a reply.

Online submission form