Tanka Poem Generator

A tanka is a Japanese poem with a 5-7-5-7-7 syllable pattern. Give us a noun, adjectives and a verb and we will count the syllables for you.

A noun, singular (e.g. kitten, boyfriend) (kitten)
Two adjectives to describe that noun (e.g. soft, warm) (soft)
Another adjective (e.g. playful, gentle) (gentle)
A feature of that noun, must be another noun (e.g. whiskers) (whiskers)
An adjective describing that feature (e.g. twitching) (twitching)
Another feature of the original noun (e.g. paws) (paws)
An adjective describing that feature (e.g. velvet) (velvet)
A verb (e.g. purrs, laughs) (purrs)

How to write a tanka poem

  1. Fill in the fields above — use the Suggest buttons for inspiration, or Fill entire form with random ideas.
  2. Press Write me a poem and our word engine will compose your poem in seconds.
  3. Read it aloud, tweak a word or two, and make it yours.
💡 Tip: use evocative adjectives and powerful nouns to make your poems emotive. 5-7-5-7-7 syllable structure.