The Indian poet Angelee Deodhar has a knack for extending text by adding images. I’m always touched to get a piece from her where she’s used my work–it is like a fun postcard. She just sent me this. My tanka is from the Atomic Era anthology and she combined it with the image, credited here.
Click to enlarge.
A haiku plus art is a haiga. I’ve just discovered that a haibun plus image is a new form called haibunga. And since a haibun is a haiku plus prose, I guess a haibunga really has three elements. It’s very exciting to see these developments in the international community that writes haiku and tanka.
Does anyone know, is there an official name for tanka plus image? Tanka and prose just tends to get called tanka prose. These forms began as traditional Japanese ones, but have migrated, taken off, mutated, and exploded in many languages in the 21st century. They’ve changed so much, yet often retain a flavor or lineage connection to their roots. It’s unusual to see new forms being born–kind of like islands built by volcanoes.
Miriam's Well: Poetry, Land Art, and Beyond 
Reblogged this on The Pacific Northwest Teaching Artist CyberZine..
A perfect pairing. See you tomorrow.
Miriam, I love this! As someone who has had a camera and notebooks in her hands since the age of nine, I love seeing this ‘trend’. Is haibunga a real word? Hope to see you one of these days. I’m doing a reading with NG on August 5 for SOMOS.
A new word–I’m guessing it will catch on!
Several poets replied to this same question I recently asked on FaceBook. A wonderful discussion followed. This form is sometimes called taiga (new to me), but more commonly referred to as Tanka Art. I also learned that haiga when combined with a photo is properly called photo haiga, but most people still use just haiga. The terminology appears to be much discussed, debated and used. If you ever get a clear cut answer, please post it. 🙂
Yes, tanka art, as Mary says — or tankart, as I’m seeing lately. Also, another term for photo haiga, I’m told, is shahai.
Naming something helps us quantify and understand it, but naming can also compartmentalize and restrict… A dynamic tension! ;- )
True…and true.