a teardrop
rolls slowly down
the cheek
salty
like the sea
Kurt F. Svatek
Chinese Translation (Traditional)
一滴眼淚
緩慢地滾下
面頰
它像海水
一樣地鹹
Chinese Translation (Simplified)
一滴眼泪
缓慢地滚下
面颊
它像海水
一样地咸
Bio Sketch
Living
in Vienna, Kurt F. Svatek has published 59 books, including poetry,
aphorisms, essays, short stories, haiku, and one novel. He also wrote
several papers on aspects of philology and one textbook. His works were
featured in numerous magazines and translated into many different
languages, and he won 154 awards.
This tanka is highly cinematic and reads more like a poetic rendering of an extreme close-up of one's face that allows "the viewer to enter [one’s] intimate space, revealing certain characteristics and emotions that would otherwise go unnoticed from afar. This unnaturally close view intensifies feelings that [s/he] is experiencing and allows us to feel sympathy for, and establish a connection with,..." And the poem reminds me of one of the popular songs, "A Teardrop to the Sea."
ReplyDeleteDear Kurt,
ReplyDeleteI really like the artistic presentation of you poem. Thank you for sharing your words with readers of Chen-ou's beautiful journal. Best wishes with all your writing endeavors.
Blessings,
Karen