Sanford Goldstein 

International Tanka Contest: 

Past Winners and Judges’ Comments

Past Winners and Judges’ Comments

Some of the best reading offered in tanka literature is almost a genre in itself—contest winners’ poems and judges’ comments. Not only do these results present the reader with inspiring poems but also enlightened analysis, a combination of example and interpretation that offers new insights or, at the least, reaffirms insights already gained, sometimes with varying and surprising points of view. We are pleased to present the results of all TSA tanka contests since the inception of the Tanka Society of America in 2000, most recent first, plus videos showcasing winners for all years from 2019 onward. In 2015, the society renamed its contest after tanka pioneer, scholar, translator, and poet Sanford Goldstein, who died in 2023.