The UK-based tanka journal, Quail Eggs, is published online every three months. Founding Editor, Alison Williams, says “quail eggs are small but perfectly formed and contain a surprising richness . . . They are simply delicious little things, just like tanka”.

The Quail Eggs journal invites submissions of tanka, and related forms such as kyōka, tan-renga and tanka prose. Contributions are welcome from around the world.

The first issue of Quail Eggs appeared in June 2025. Since then, the journal has developed a strong following in a wide range of countries. As editor, Alison says she appreciates a variety of styles but is particularly attracted to poems with a strong sensory appeal. These three tanka from Issue 5 of Quail Eggs (published in June 2026) exemplify this approach:

for a second
the mating pigeon’s eye
meets mine
as if mocking me
for being alone

(Nitu Yumnam, UAE)

blue hour—
an unrung bell resonates
with the rhythm
of your jewelled sandals
on ancient tiles

(Farah Ali, UK)

the coolness
of a summer evening . . .
we catch
the flute tune
a herdboy left behind

(David He, China)

The rhythm and repetition of sounds, together with an emphasis on the senses, make each of these tanka a delight. The poets are to be congratulated for their fine poems. Alison’s keen understanding of the tanka form enables her to select the most delicious ‘eggs’ for our enjoyment. Here are two more tanka from Issue 5:

driving
through the old neighborhood
again
we slow down
but don’t stop

(Ruth Holzer, USA)

a border café
for one fleeting moment
I am home again
hearing my own language
inside a stranger’s smile

(Fatma Zohra Habis, Algeria)

Both of these poems convey the feeling of the moment, but they do so without sentimentality and without telling too much of the story. Achieving this balance is not easy, each poet has used care and skill to avoid the poem being overwhelmed by emotion.

The best tanka are often described as lyric poetry (having a musical quality) that conveys emotion (without overt sentimentality). Alison’s editorial selections bring us poems with both these qualities, augmented by an emphasis on the senses and the sharing of experiences from varied cultures. This combination results in Quail Eggs offering a rich and engaging collection of short-form poetry.

Quail Eggs: A Tanka Journal is a welcome addition to the international tanka scene. You can read the previous issues of Quail Eggs via this link, and you can find details for submitting your own poems here.