Out of my dreaming heart : a collection of tanka

Abstract

The poetry collection Out of My Dreaming Heart: A Collection of Tanka is a synthesis of creative output and research. Using the short, lyrical Japanese forms tanka and kyoka, it captures the essence of yokai, Japanese mythical creature's their desires, origins, and/or eccentricities. Through a variety of voices and stretching across time and space, the 100 poems explore and tackle themes such as loss, dreaming, memory, music, and fear, with a special focus on human imperfection, women, and children. In addition to the poems, there is a comprehensive index with short explanation of each yokai represented.