Remember Anne Rice and her beloved Vampire Lestat? Watch me swoon. Early 20s and full of romantic fantasies. Oh, how I loved him and his sensual vampire ways. But I also felt sorry for him…the futility of immortality among mortals.

how vain days unfold
everything is meaningless
vast expanse of time
rock hard abs and granite heart
damn all this eternity

Painting by Donna Matthews

The above poem is written in the form of tanka. The tanka form is generally a short poem with the following pattern 5-7-5-7-7. In its purest form, tanka poems are most commonly written as expressions of gratitude, love, or self-reflection and can be read forward and backward. Learn more about poetry styles here.

Donna Matthews started writing a couple of years ago when her children started leaving her nest. She enjoys writing poetry, prose, and short stories.  In addition to writing, she also loves to read, paint, take pictures, and explore the world on foot. She is passionate about helping others find their voice in both the writing and art communities.

Read more of Donna’s writing at DJ RANCH