walking fast
with my head down --
a mockingbird
repeats
the same song
Ken Slaughter
Chinese Translation (Traditional)
低著頭
我快速地走過 --
一隻知更鳥
重複唱著
同一首歌
Chinese Translation (Simplified)
低著头
我快速地走过 --
一只知更鸟
重複唱著
同一首歌
Bio Sketch
Ken
Slaughter began writing tanka in 2012. His tanka are published in a
variety of online and print journals. His tanka won second prize and
honorable mention in the 2012 Tanka Society of America International
contest. He won an honorable mention in the 2014 contest. Ken lives in
Massachusetts, USA, with his wife and two cats.
The psychologically effective juxtaposition (of a human reaction and a natural image with rich cultural associations) and thematically resonant line breaks make this minimalist tanka work effectively.
ReplyDeleteNote: According to folklore, "mockingbirds,... are not singing out of joy or pleasure as is commonly believed. Much of the time, they sing out of desperation."