Laurels

Laurels: Tanka Society of America Online Journal

Laurels is the twice-yearly online publication of the Tanka Society of America, launched in 2024, for members only (nonmembers and members are welcome to submit to our print publication, Ribbons). Each issue of Laurels focuses on an announced theme, with members serving as guest editors. Layout and design is by Michael Dylan Welch, with images sourced from Unsplash. Laurels invites individual tanka only, and does not include sequences, tanka prose, essays, or reviews, and will accept no more than one poem per member per issue. We invite members to submit up to three unpublished tanka for each issue. Please, no simultaneous or multiple submissions (submit only once).

Submission Deadlines

Laurels submission deadlines are in-hand no later than the following dates:

• January 31

• June 30

Each Laurels guest editor will typically respond to all submissions within one month of each submission deadline.

Laurels #7 Submission Guidelines for members only

• Guest editor: Maggie Chula

• Theme: Clothing

Our choice of clothing defines us. What we wear shows others our lifestyle, color preferences, our aesthetics and—for the wearer—signals how we want to be seen. Clothes carry emotions within their fabrics: memories of places, people, events that were life-altering. Think about an article of clothing that you inherited from someone in your family, a hand-me-down from childhood, a beloved’s trademark hat or shirt, your favorite outfit, clothing that you were forced to wear, or what you or your true love were wearing when you first met. And, of course, the “why did I buy that?” piece of clothing. For Laurels #7, please submit up to three tanka about an article of clothing and your feelings about it.

the black negligee

that I bought for your return

hangs in my closet

day by day plums ripen

and are picked clean by birds

Submissions (TSA members only): Please submit by January 31, 2027 using our online submission form. The form should work correctly for nearly everyone, but if it does not work for you, please try accessing it using a different device. If it still does not work correctly for you, please email Maggie Chula at  margaretjchula@gmail.com or submit by postal mail to Maggie Chula, 2141 N.W. Walmer Dr., Portland, OR 97229 USA.

How to Join TSA