Keeping Score: Angry Tanka

Susan Burch’s new collection, Keeping Score: Angry Tanka, answers the question: Why do we need angry tanka? We need angry tanka because they are better than the alternatives—violence or passive-aggressive pretense. Angry tanka do not mince words. They do not hide behind innuendo or avoid hurting. They are honest and release emotional truths we can no longer mask. A good venting through an angry tanka clears the air and makes way for the start of a new day. Sometimes, after a storm, there’s no other way to let yourself find the peace and joy of life you deserve. —Randy Brooks, Teacher, Poet, & Editor