Yesterday, I thought
my new poem was brilliant
today, it seems confused --
the morning sun in a haze
over the marsh reeds
Modern English Tanka, 1:2, Winter 2006
George Swede
Chinese Translation (Traditional)
昨天，我認為
我的新詩卓越非凡
今天，它似乎顛三倒四 --
早晨的太陽浮現在
陰霾的蘆葦沼澤之中
Chinese Translation (Simplified)
昨天，我认为
我的新诗卓越非凡
今天，它似乎颠叁倒四 --
早晨的太阳浮现在
阴霾的芦苇沼泽之中
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.
George subtly establishes a simile between the upper verse (the speaker's thoughts on writing, which, I think, every poet, beginning and experienced, can relate to) and the lower verse (a visually and emotionally evocative image).
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