Tuesday, April 23, 2013

One Man’s Maple Moon: Stormy Night Tanka by Barry George

English Original

lying awake
on the night of a storm
even when I close my eyes
especially when I close my eyes
I see snow    

Chrysalis, 1:1, 2007

Barry George


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

暴風雨之夜
醒著躺在床上
甚至當我閉上眼睛
尤其是當我閉上眼睛
我看到了雪

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

暴风雨之夜
醒著躺在床上
甚至当我闭上眼睛
尤其是当我闭上眼睛
我看到了雪


Bio Sketch

Barry George’s tanka have been published in journals including Gusts, Modern English Tanka, Chrysalis, and The Louisville Review, as well as the anthology Streetlights: Poetry of Urban Life in Modern English Tanka. Several of his poems have been winners in the annual Tanka Splendor Contest. His essay, "Shiki the Tanka Poet," appeared in The Writer's Chronicle. Also a haiku poet, his book, Wrecking Ball and Other Urban Haiku, was nominated for a Pushcart Prize.

1 comment:

  1. Barry's audaciously combined use of two adverbial modifiers and repetition adds emotional weight and psychological depth to the poem.

    The opening lines successfully set the context, scenic and emotive, while the closing line becomes the speaker's expression of existential truth.

    Well done.

    ReplyDelete