S/L/S/L/L meter

[HaikuCowboy]

Can somebody advise what this tanka meter is, as in providing examples?  I Googled it to no avail.  I read this was the official tanka meter, and I am not familiar with it.

Thank you
HaikuCowboy
Minnesota

[cat]

Hello, HC,

Short/long/short/long/long:  5/7/5/7/7.

Here's a link:

http://www.tankaonline.com/Quick%20Start%20Guide.htm

cat

[Don Baird]

Haiku Cowboy,

Please give us a first name... thanks.  It's so much nicer to have a real name to chat with, in particular, on a site like this where most everyone is published here or there. 

Thanks for understanding,

Don

[HaikuCowboy]

Don,

Thanks for the note.  Please note that I have updated my signature to read my full name, though my username remains HaikuCowboy, hope that's acceptable.  Happy holidays.

[AlanSummers]

Thanks Lucas for letting us know your name, it's much nicer replying to a person. :-)
I know that with many (non-haikai) forums it's advisable to remain anonymous. But this a professional level site and regularly monitored by Laura and myself to maintain responsible conversation. :-)

Alan
aka Alan Summers

p.s.

you can find out who I am by checking out my With Words website and Area 17 blog. :-)

p.p.s.

if you use Google you should discover at least three quality hits on tanka on the first page. Also it's always worth checking out further Google pages beyond just the first page.

As the Haiku Foundation concentrates on haiku I look forward to haiku questions and haiku too, but very pleased you were given an excellent weblink for tanka. :-)

[Don Baird]

Thanks Lucas.  Welcome aboard!  :)

Don

[HaikuCowboy]

Thank you.  I was only confused by the letters S/L/S/L/L instead of the typical 5/7/5/7/7.  I always assumed that 5/7/5/7/7 was as valid as stating haiku should be written in 5/7/5, though people seem a bit more draconian when it comes to tanka.   

Regarding the use of real names, I couldn't agree more and just slapped on HaikuCowboy when I was setting up the profile because it's also my Gmail address.

[AlanSummers]

Hi Lucas

No worries re gmail, it's just nice when I see a name as well. :-)

re short long etc it would really be worth getting Stone Bridge Press "A Long Rainy Season" because some Japanese women write tanka shorter than haiku and vice versa.

It's always best to build up a physical collection of quality books on haiku and/or tanka.

TIP:
use the search inside facility of Amazon to gauge if it's "a real book" and not some jokey; fake; or uninformed attempt wasting your hard-earned cash.

Alan