Naga-Uta Poems

Naga-Uta poems or songs (also known as Choka) are Japanese style long poems with a 5-7-5-7-5-7-7 syllable pattern. Although the minimum length of a Naga-Uta poem is 7 lines, they have no line limit and longer versions of the Japanese long poem or song are common. The only restriction is to follow the syllable pattern of 5-7 and finish with another 7 syllable line. Much like the Tanka (see previous blog entry), Naga-Uta poems or songs could be sent or sung between lovers; the man or woman would start the Naga-Uta and then let their love interest add to it. They would alternate until the poem or song was finished. In the past each line represented individual images which melted together into one whole like the marriage or desired union of the couple writing or singing the Naga-Uta. These poems or songs could, also, be used to immortalize a warrior hero or tell of the individual’s emotional state. Unlike with Haiku (see previous blog entry) or Tanka, images of nature are not required to play a central role. In general, each 5-7 set of lines consists of an emotion and an image in no particular order. The final 7-7 coupling to finish work together to make a final statement about the person being immortalized, the individual’s emotional realization or in the case of lovers to attempt humorous, bawdy innuendo. In the example below, I do not adhere to the image, emotion balance, but I use the final 5-7-7 to make a statement about my father’s military service. My attempt is to immortalize my father an American warrior and personal hero. He served one combat tour in Korea and three combat tours in Vietnam much like todays soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq with multiple tours in combat. They have served more time in combat then anyone should ever be asked to do. They are true heroes.

Example: by Frank G. Poe, Jr.

Nag-Uta for Dad

Before I was born

You serving in Korea

Combat tour before

You were old enough, fifteen

Grandfather sent you

To find your older brother

Success, brother found

After a year of combat

Later Vietnam

Called, again, to serve and fight

Jolly green giants,

Young American warriors,

Daily I watched news

Wondering if you’d be on

Three combat tours done

Shave and a shower you’re home

Then teaching recruits

At Fort Polk how to survive

Then to Fort Belvoir

Army Corps of Engineers

Fishing on the banks of

Potomac River

Raccoon strolls across my lap

Eating our cut bait

Family living on base

Bicentennial

Military retirement

Always remembered

Combat stories you told me

Always respected

Your military service

In Korea, Vietnam