Sunflower Tanka Anthology

Watch the Dates

Colleen Chesebro

September 4, 2025

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1–2 minutes

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Sunflower Tanka News

June 25, 2026

The 2025 Sunflower Tanka Anthology is OPEN for submissions! We’re making our way through all the submission emails. I’ll start replying to the submission emails starting September 5th. Thanks for your understanding. 🌻

Don’t forget to get your tanka and experimental tanka submitted by September 9, 2025.

LEARN the forms HERE

Submission instructions HERE

Not sure how to create a tanka?

Tanka & Tanka Prose

Thanks for your submissions. Robbie and I are thrilled to support syllabic poets! 🌻

Robbie & Colleen

13 responses to “Watch the Dates”

Jules

September 4, 2025 at 8:40 am

I sent mine in… I’ll have to re-read – do you only email back if pieces are accepted?

Best of luck to all who enter :D

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1. robbiesinspiration
  
  September 5, 2025 at 12:36 am
  
  Thanks, Jules. I will email back over the weekend. Tough work week 🫣
  
  LikeLiked by 1 person
  
  Reply
  1. Colleen Chesebro
    
    September 5, 2025 at 3:16 pm
    
    I emailed you, Robbie. Sorry about your rough week. 💜
    
    LikeLiked by 1 person
    
    Reply
    1. robbiesinspiration
      
      September 6, 2025 at 4:27 am
      
      That’s life
      
      LikeLiked by 1 person
      
      Reply
      1. Colleen Chesebro
        
        September 6, 2025 at 10:45 am
        
        I know, my friend. We end up rolling with the punches, don’t we?
        
        LikeLiked by 1 person
      2. robbiesinspiration
        
        September 6, 2025 at 12:34 pm
        
        Yes, indeed
        
        LikeLiked by 1 person
robbiesinspiration

September 4, 2025 at 9:26 am

🌻💛

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Nicole Sara

September 4, 2025 at 11:19 am

Hello, Colleen, I sent and email with three Tanka poems on Sunday, I hope it arrived and… all is well 🌻 (there has been no confirmation email just yet, that is why I am letting you know here a bit too). Oh… Nicole Sara here, coming from StarrySteps blog ☺ Thank you, wishing you a nice end of the week! 😊

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1. Colleen Chesebro
  
  September 4, 2025 at 11:49 am
  
  I just added a message on today’s post. I’ll start going through all the emails tomorrow, 9/5. There are a lot of submissions this year. 🌻
  
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  Reply
  1. Nicole Sara
    
    September 4, 2025 at 11:58 am
    
    Oh.. that is very nice, congratulations! :)
    
    LikeLiked by 2 people
    
    Reply
  2. Nicole Smith
    
    September 5, 2025 at 10:40 pm
    
    I am glad you are getting a big turnout. :)
    
    LikeLiked by 1 person
    
    Reply
    1. Colleen Chesebro
      
      September 6, 2025 at 10:46 am
      
      Thank you. We’re thrilled. Tanka are such a great form. 💛
      
      LikeLiked by 1 person
      
      Reply
Eugi

September 4, 2025 at 3:13 pm

💛🌻💛

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Submissions are OPEN!
by Colleen Chesebro
July 15, 2026
Robbie and I are excited to present this year’s theme for the Sunflower Tanka Anthology: Life’s Simple Pleasures What are life’s simple pleasures? Maybe they personify those transient moments that spark joy or peace in your day? Whatever they are to you, life’s simple pleasures stand as a testament to the beauty found in the… Read more: Submissions are OPEN!
Sunflower Tanka Opens for Submissions Soon!
by Colleen Chesebro
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The countdown has begun! The Sunflower Tanka Anthology will open for submissions soon. Mark your calendars! Subscribe to stay in touch. On Wednesday, July 15, 2026, we will publish the theme for this year’s anthology!
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by robbiesinspiration
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by Colleen Chesebro
July 2, 2026
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Shadow Poetry shares: “The Puente, a poem created by James Rasmusson, and is somewhat similar to the Diamante. Like the Diamante, you start with one aspect of a topic or issue and then, line by line, work toward another aspect. In the center is a line that bridges the two aspects together.” “The Puente is… Read more: How to Create a Tanka Puente

Word Craft: Prose & Poetry

The Art of Crafting Syllabic Poetry

Are you ready to learn how to craft Japanese and American poetry? Consider this book the first step on your journey to learning the basics of how to craft syllabic poetry. Inside, you will discover many new forms, syllable combinations, and interpretations of the different Japanese and American forms and structures of haiku, senryu, haiga, tanka, renga/solo renga, gogyohka, haibun, tanka prose, the cinquain, and its variations, Etheree, nonet, and shadorma poetry. So… what are you waiting for? Let’s craft syllabic poetry together!