U - Uta: Urban Showers

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Uta (Japanese lyric poetry) is the general term for Japanese poems, especially waka (most common a tanka), and also includes older forms like chōka and sedōka.  I have written a tanka. 

Urban Showers is my title for this ink on newsprint by Mary Pedri.  In a previous life it won an award at the 1963 Lodi Grape Festival and National Wine Show.  That's Lodi, California.  It was a birthday gift from one of my sons, who found it at Goodwill.  

wet pavement glimmers

under the dim sidewalk lamps


commuters rush to

taxi stands and bus shelters


autumn rain in the city


©2026 Lisa Smith Nelson. All Rights Reserved  


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