Last time I outlined the development of waka, prior to the late 1800s and gave you some idea as to why waka was becoming a disappointing art. I left you with the promise that this time you were going to hear what happened to waka during the initial tanka reforms and thereafter.
So that’s what I have for you today. Tanka reforms, the initial ideas and the concepts and movements that flowed from them. It's more interesting than you might think. Of course I do have lots of poems to read to you as well.