First Thaw: A Tanka

Written for TankaTuesday Poetry Challenge
where Robbie has asked us to write a tanka
using at least one onomatopoeia.
Here’s my response.

Crack …. ice releases

drip by drip the cold river

whispers into flow

bare branches begin to hush

as green sighs beneath the snow

NAR©2026

Nancy’s Notes: Tanka is a classical Japanese poem with a 5/7/5/7/7 syllable structure focusing on intense emotions, nature, and/or human relationships.

This is “Spring Song” by Felix Mendelssohn

#TankaTuesday Poetry Challenge No. 59, Onomatopoeia in Poetry 04/07/2026

^{Everything on The Elephant’s Trunk was created by me, unless otherwise indicated. Thanks for your consideration. NAR©2017-present.}