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Coping with tragedy through traditional Japanese poetry

http://news.sfsu.edu/voices-japan-exhibit-reflects-tsunami

Since the late 1960s, San Francisco State has continued to be at the forefront of ethnic consciousness – and arts.

An exhibit that opens today, January 31, 2013, at the university is dedicated to the Japanese artform of Tanka, a 31-syllable poetry form that goes as far back as the seventh century. After the devastating earthquake and tsunami of March 2011, many Japanese survivors turned to writing Tanka poetry to express their grief, anger, and hope. Thirty of these poems are on exhibit at SF State. KALW’sHana Baba visited the exhibit recently and brought back this report.

Click the audio player above to listen to the story.

The exhibit Voices from Japan is on display at San Francisco State until February 14, 2013.

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