Friday, February 7, 2014

One Man's Maple Moon: Finely-Spun Web Tanka by George Swede

English Original

After reading
the haiku of Issa
seeing at last
the finely-spun web
between two piano legs

Gusts, 15, Spring/Summer 2012

George Swede


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

讀完小林俳句
之後
終於看到
兩條鋼琴腿之間
的細蜘蛛網

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

读完小林俳句
之後
终於看到
两条钢琴腿之间
的细蜘蛛网


Bio Sketch

George Swede has published two collections of tanka: First Light, First Shadows (Liverpool: Snapshot Press, 2006) and White Thoughts, Blue Mind (Edmonton: Inkling Press, 2010). His tanka have also appeared in a number of anthologies, including The Tanka Anthology (Red Moon Press, 2003) and a number of journals, including Ribbons and Gusts.

3 comments:

  1. The evocative image in the lower verse demonstrates the power of poetry in general, of Issa's haiku in particular -- opening our eyes to new ways of seeing things and deeper understanding.

    The spiderweb image is well chosen, foregrounding one of Issa's thematic motifs explored in his work.

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  2. This is beautiful - and the web being between the two piano legs introduced a light touch of humour for me. :)

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    Replies
    1. Marion:

      Yes, Issa-esque humor.

      Thanks for sharing your wonderful thought.

      Chen-ou

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