A book of American-style tanka poetry by University of Guam professor Yukiko Inoue-Smith was published on June 3, adding to her growing collection of published works. “Life with Goblin and PJ: A Collection of Tanka Poetry” was published by JustFiction Edition.
Inoue-Smith, a professor of educational psychology and research, has worked extensively with tanka, which translates into “short song” and is one of the oldest styles of Japanese poetry. With a structure similar to haiku, tanka poems written in Japanese are verses of 31 syllables in one straight line. But in English and other languages, they are often written using five lines.
The poetry in “Life with Goblin and PJ” is inspired by the author’s two cats.
“I have come to realize the huge benefits of having pets,” Inoue-Smith writes in the book. “For most of my adult life, I concentrated on my studies and then on my work … Without knowing it, I needed cats very much.”
Other published tanka collections by Inoue-Smith include “Winter Woods: My Journey into Tanka,” “The Inescapable Seasons of Life,” “Do Cats Dream?” and “A Shawl of Mist.” She has also authored and compiled books on educational topics, including “A Jungle
Named Academia: Approaches to Self-Development and Growth” and “Faculty Roles and Changing Expectations in the New Age.” Her works are available for purchase via Amazon and JustFiction.
Excerpt from “Life with Goblin and PJ”:
Everything today
Dashed my hopes–
It is late and
Hearing my complaints
My cats have no response