@ColleenChesebro #TankaTuesday #poetry #challenge #specificform #kouta #prompt provided by @ReenaSaxena

Big bubbles don’t cause troubles
Not when friends are blowing them
Quick to catch they float away
Then we start again!

© M J Mallon

Champagne bubbles cause troubles
Hiccups, and trip ups
Oops. Giggles and then spill ups
Sore heads the next day!

© M J Mallon


FAST FACTS – VIA COLLEEN

The Kouta 小唄 (little or short song) is a popular Japanese verse form of the Muromachi Period, 14th thru 16th century. The lyrical song was resurrected as a geisha song in the late 1800s and is still popular today.

The form has several variations, though always short in only 4 lines, a 5th line is sometimes added. 

The theme reflects ordinary life and often uses colloquialisms and onomatopoeia. The most popular are love songs. 

The elements of Kouta are:

  1. a poem in 4 lines. (an occasional 5th line may appear)
  2. a standalone poem, but its often is accompanied by other Koutas with the same theme.
  3. syllabic, variable odd numbered syllable lengths, the most common patterns are written in lines of alternating 7-5-7-5 syllables or 7-7-7-5 syllables. 
  4. secular, personal, themes of ordinary life.
  5. often include onomatopoeia (defined above).

These are inspired by a day I spent with old friends and we blew bubbles in the sun!

The poem below on this theme appears in my soon to be released poetry, photography and flash fiction book, Do What you Love Fragility of Your Flame.

OLD FRIENDS PLAY WITH BUBBLES 

bubbles in the sun
playing a musical dance
basking in our sweet friendship
admiring her art
we both praise
a special day for Catherine

(Excerpt Do What You Love © M J Mallon)

Blurb

Do What You Love Fragility of Your Flame Poems, Photography & Flash Fiction is a personal poetry collection celebrating how the fates may have a part in all that we do.

With special poems and short reflective moments inspired by family, flowers and nature, love, scrumptious morsels, places I’ve visited, lived and intend to live in, the friendships and hopes I have for the future.

The overarching theme is to live a life well lived… And to do what you love.

float along with me
create clouds of sweetest joy
to do what you love
hold fate’s hand as we venture
near and far on life’s journey

(Excerpt Do What You Love © M J Mallon)

Release Date: 25th November 2022, able to preorder via the following links.

Buy Links Do What You Love:

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0BKLC9DYY/

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/What-You-love-Fragility-Photography-ebook/dp/B0BKLC9DYY/

Amazon Canada: https://www.amazon.ca/What-You-love-Fragility-Photography-ebook/dp/B0BKLC9DYY/#

Reviews And Features:

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2022/11/05/smorgasbord-book-reviews-photography-poetry-flash-do-what-you-love-fragility-of-your-flame-poems-photography-and-flash-fiction-by-m-j-mallon/

I am thrilled to say that two of my poetry collections, (Mr. Sagittarius and Lockdown Innit,) have been requested by prestigious libraries in the UK: The British Library, The Bodleian Library Oxford University, the Cambridge University Library, National Library of Scotland, National Library of Wales and Trinity College Dublin for Legal Deposit.

Add the book to your TBR: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63114445-do-what-you-love

The cover of the paperback and kindle have been designed by Colleen Chesebro who has a new service for authors which I can highly recommend. Colleen also designed the interior and cover of The Hedge Witch And The Musical Poet.

https://unicorncatspubservices.wordpress.com/my-services

Portfolio:
https://unicorncatspubservices.wordpress.com/portfolio

https://wordcraftpoetry.com/unicorn-cats-publishing-services/

Media kit: https://mjmallon.com/2022/11/04/media-kit-do-what-you-love-fragility-of-your-flame-poems-photography-flashfiction-new-book-release-writingcommunity-poetrycommunity-mediakit-paperback/

Other poetry/flash fiction collections:

Kyrosmagica Publishing

The Hedge Witch And The Musical Poet

https://books2read.com/u/mv1OeV

Mr. Sagittarius Poetry and Prose

http://mybook.to/MrSagittarius

Anthology – This Is Lockdown, (poetry, diaries and flash fiction – kindle)

http://mybook.to/Thisislockdown

Poetry during Lockdown – Lockdown Innit

http://mybook.to/Lockdowninnit

Poetry also features in my highly acclaimed YA Fantasy series.  Each chapter begins with a short poem. The Curse of Time Book 1 Bloodstone and Book 2 Golden Healer are published by Next Chapter Publishing.

https://www.nextchapter.pub/books/bloodstone

https://www.nextchapter.pub/books/golden-healer

https://www.nextchapter.pub/authors/mj-mallon

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