This episode of the Poetry PeaPodcast is Part One of a series on senryū. A form of Japanese short poetry

We begin by asserting that senryū do not have to be humorous. They offer sharp, human insights that continue to spark debate among poets and editors. In this episode you’ll hear examples from both the Japanese canon and contemporary English-language poets, with commentary and context to guide you.

Over the coming episodes in this series, we’ll learn the differences between haiku & senryū, discover the living practice of senryū, and consider their place alongside haiku in today’s poetry world.

Perfect for anyone curious about senryū, haiku, and Japanese short-form poetry in English.

In this special episode of the Poetry Pea Podcast, Patricia celebrates International Dot Day with the Poetry Pea community. Join us for a playful look at haiku and flashku, inspired by dots, creativity and courage.

Patricia shares news about the brand-new Poetry Pea Journal 4:25 — full of original haiku, creepy-crawly poems, video prompt selections, and the latest judges’ choice. You’ll also hear how poets responded to a social media challenge and a flashku call-out.

Whether you’re a seasoned haiku poet or just curious about short-form poetry, this episode is packed with inspiration and poems to spark your creativity.

Show notes

Original poems by global poets.

Welcome to the Poetry Pea Podcast – your home for haiku, senryū and short-form poetry. 🐞🦋🐝

In this episode, inspired by Liam Maguire’s “creepy crawly” presentation, our judges Clive Grewcock, Melissa Dennison and Liam himself share their nominations for the Judges’ Choice. Expect beetles, butterflies, ants, dragonflies, spiders and more – all captured in the tiny but powerful form of haiku and senryū.

✨ What you’ll hear:

• Original haiku, senryū and one-line poems from poets around the world
• Commentary from our judges
• A lively selection of poems which will be some of the poems featured in Poetry Pea Journal 4:25

Sign up for our mailing list for early access, special offers, and submission opportunities

💌 Submissions are open for tanka 1-15th Oct 2025– check the diary & guidelines on our website before sending!

☕ Like what we do? Support the Poetry Pea Podcast:

• Become a member
• Buy us a coffee
• Share this podcast with your poetry-loving friends

Show notes

✨ Welcome to the Poetry Pea Podcast ✨

In this episode, we share beautiful haiku and senryū from our community, inspired by the video prompts. You’ll hear poetry chosen by editor Amy Watson from the August prompt, and we’ll look ahead to September’s beach-themed prompt curated by Neena Singh.

Alongside the poetry, I raise an important question about fairness in haiku competitions — something for us all to consider as members of the short form poetry community. And, to end, we return to more poems from you, our listeners, to bring us back to calm reflection.

📌 What’s inside this episode:

• Haiku and senryū from the Poetry Pea community
• Highlights from the August video prompt (Tango-inspired)
• A discussion on fairness in haiku competitions
• More community poems to close the show

💌 Don’t miss out! Join the Poetry Pea mailing list to hear about new journals, prompts, and podcast episodes first: [link]

If you enjoy writing haiku, & senryū, or simply love listening to short form poetry, this episode is for you.

In this episode we round off our tanka series with something a little different – kyōka.

Kyōka are often described as the “wild poems” of the tanka world – witty, playful, and full of wry social commentary. Think of them as to tanka what senryū are to haiku.

👉 What you’ll hear in this episode:

• A short introduction to kyōka and their place in Japanese poetry
• Examples from the Japanese, translated into English
• Contemporary kyōka written originally in English
• A light-hearted discussion about humour in poetry

📚 Don’t forget – our latest haibun journal Tendrils is out now. Link in the show notes if you’d like to grab a copy (print or PDF).

💌 Want to support Poetry Pea?

Become a member, buy us a coffee, or simply share this episode on your social media. Every little helps to keep the podcast going and spread the word.

🖊️ Submissions:

Check our submissions diary for current calls. We’d love to read your work in future episodes.

Thank you for listening – and most importantly, keep writing.

Welcome to Poetry Pea! In this episode, Patricia shares practical tips and writing exercises on how to write superior tanka poetry. Building on last week’s look at the ten styles of poetry, today we dive into Teika’s principles, examples of great tanka, and step-by-step challenges to help you improve your craft.

Whether you’re brand new to tanka, already writing haiku and senryū, or preparing to submit your work to poetry journals, this podcast will give you inspiration, structure, and confidence in your writing.

📌 What you’ll learn in this episode:

• What makes a tanka “superior”
• Common mistakes to avoid when writing tanka
• Teika’s timeless advice on style, rhythm, and language
• Practical exercises (including a 15-day tanka challenge)
• How to get ready for submissions in October

Episode Show notes

Please support us with a:

Membership

Coffee

Giving us lovely shout outs on your social media.

✨ Today we’re diving into the world of Fujiwara no Teika (1162–1241) — one of Japan’s most influential poets, teachers, and literary critics. If you’re curious about tanka poetry, this is a perfect place to start.

In this podcast we’ll explore:

• Teika’s ten styles of waka and why they still matter
• His core ideal of ushin (“conviction of feeling”)
• The four fundamental styles every poet should try and 6 to have a go at once they are mastered

Along the way, I’ll share classic examples of waka and tanka, plus some modern tanka poems to show how Teika’s ideas resonate today.

📺 Don’t miss the latest video prompt, edited this month by the brilliant Neena Singh — a chance to spark your own writing and join in the conversation.

🔗 Check the show notes for sources, translations, and links to related podcasts. poetrypea.com

If you enjoy learning about Japanese poetry, tanka, haiku, and poetics, do give this video a like, leave a comment with your favourite poem or style, and subscribe for more deep dives into poetry and prompts every week.

show notes

Pack your poetic passport — this week, the Poetry Pea Podcast is off to Borneo!

Our theme? Elephants in haiku and senryu, inspired by Borneo’s rare and gentle pygmy elephants.

In this episode:

• 🐘 Haiku & senryu from Linda Ludwig’s last video prompt editorship
• 📖 Treasures from past Poetry Pea Journals
• 🌿 Elephant-themed poems from other talented writers
• 🌏 Five fascinating facts about Borneo
• 💚 A closer look at Borneo’s endangered pygmy elephants

📢 Haiku & Senryu Submissions: You’ve still got time to submit for this month’s video prompt, edited by Amy Watson in her first ever Poetry Pea role. Remember — post your poems in the comments section of the video prompt to be considered.

💡 Support Poetry Pea:

Become a member, buy us a coffee, or share the podcast with poetry-loving friends.

✨ Whether you’re here for nature haiku inspiration, wildlife facts, or a love of short-form poetry, this episode will leave you inspired — and maybe ready to book a trip to Borneo.

🔗 Links

Website

YouTube with slides

1. Elephants in Haiku and Senryu

2. Borneo Pygmy Elephants

3. Poetry Pea Podcast

4. Nature Haiku / Wildlife Haiku

5. Haiku and Senryu about Animals