Issue 5 – June 2026 – Tanka Page 9
embraced
in an arc
of ribs and keel
the ancient king
returns to dust
Eiko Masubuchi, Japan
temple gate-
passing through
the rust-bound
hinges of my
resistance
Lorraine A Padden, USA
a sudden plunge
through the sun’s light net
wings-folded
blue-footed boobies
catch sardines
John Zheng, USA
in a ship’s wreckage
fragments of porcelain wine cups
fused with iron spar
bring to mind the blood cells
my marrow can’t release
Annie Cody Holdren, USA
seagulls
a thousand miles inland
circle new prey
in the Safeway parking lot:
this fallen baguette
Cynthia Bale, Canada
with so many priority seats
we are all passengers
on the same bus
riding together
until death
Eiko Masubuchi, Japan
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