Tag Archives: Choka

April 8, 2026 · 12:10 am

A choka by Paul Vincent Cannon

For Tanka Tuesday Poetry Challenge No. 59, Onomatopoeia In Poetry, Robbie has invited us to write poetry that includes onomatopoeia. Onomatopoeia is a type of word, or the process of creating a word, that phonetically imitates, resembles, or suggests a sound that it refers to. Some examples are crash, bang, squeal, etc. This week, I’m asking you to write a syllabic poem in any of the forms listed on this site using at least one onomatopoeia.

Photo: found on tumblr.com

Form: Choka (5-7-5-7-5-7-7)

silk along your skin
the soft rustle of dry leaves
evokes memories
silken are your words of love
ever calling me
to remember the slow slide
along our intimacy 

Copyright 2026 ©️Paul Vincent Cannon
All Rights Reserved ®️

28 Comments

Filed under Choka, love, passion, poem

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February 10, 2026 · 11:55 pm

A Choka by Paul Vincent Cannon

For Tanka Tuesday Poetry Challenge No. 51, Synonyms Only, Willow has invited us to write a syllabic poem about love and passion without using those words.

Image by Pete Linforth from Pixabay

Form: Choka (no envoy) (5-7-5-7-5-7-7)

whenever you leave
my bellows fail and collapse
alone I’m empty
and yet all the embers flare
fanned red by desire
wanting to forge your return
that I might breathe you again

Copyright 2026 ©️Paul Vincent Cannon
All Rights Reserved ®️

34 Comments

Filed under "Desire", Choka, love, passion, poem, relationship

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January 27, 2026 · 11:04 pm

A Choka For Tanka Tuesday – by Paul Vincent Cannon

For Tanka Tuesday Poetry Challenge No. 49, Mental Health, Yvette has invited us to write to the U.S. National Mental Wellness Month – January (in Australia we hold it October).

Note: I worked in suicide prevention for a few years and then it was part of other roles that I held, so this comes out of that experience.

Photo: unsplash.com

Form: Choka (5-7-5-7-5-7-5-7-7) with envoy Tanka (5-7-5-7-7)

hey do you like me
questions lovability 
gauging his self worth
was there just one anchor point
a cleat to cling to
heartfelt assurance today
forgotten by morn
attachment so tenuous
prevention simply a yes

doctored drug regimes
strategic interventions
so many programs
maybe helpful maybe not
a hug’s worth a million pills





Copyright 2026 ©️Paul Vincent Cannon
All Rights Reserved ®️

15 Comments

Filed under awareness, Choka, community, compassion, poem, psychology, Suicidal

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December 16, 2025 · 10:41 pm

A Choka by Paul Vincent Cannon

For Tanka Tuesday Poetry Challenge No. 43, Ekphrastic Poetry, Willow has invited us to work with a provided photo to write an ekphrastic poem.

Image from canva.com

Form: Choka (5-7-5-7-5-7-5-7-7) with Envoy – Tanka (5-7-5-7-7)

that's a good question
I'm not sure I can answer
it all began when
we chose to be ruled over
by of all the choices
we might have possibly made
an ego driven
shadow in denial of 
intrinsic value for all

deserts grow slowly
as trees and creatures retreat
to the edges of life
banished by lust curdled cries
hey don't look at me like that

Copyright 2025 ©️Paul Vincent Cannon
All Rights Reserved ®️

11 Comments

Filed under Choka, climate change, ecology, Ekphrastic, environment, nature, poem

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