English Original
in the shadow
of the giant cottonwood
your empty chair
my fingertips search the bark
our initials barely there
Blithe Spirit, 25:4, 2015
Marilyn Fleming
Chinese Translation (Traditional)
你的空椅子
在巨大白楊樹
的陰影之下
在樹皮上我的指尖找尋
幾乎看不見的我們名字縮寫
Chinese Translation (Simplified)
你的空椅子
在巨大白杨树
的阴影之下
在树皮上我的指尖找寻
几乎看不见的我们名字缩写
Bio Sketch
Marilyn Fleming was born and raised on a farm in Wisconsin USA. She won her first prize in the Hildegarde Janzen Oriental Forms Award in 1988. Samples of her poetry can be read on her website
The contrasts between the healthy and fast-growing tree ("giant cottonwood") and the loss/end/deterioration of a relationship (as indicated in Ls 3&5) are emotionally effective and thematically significant.
ReplyDeleteNote: "Cottonwood trees are the fastest growing trees in North America. A young tree can add 6 feet or more in height each year. This rapid growth leads to weak wood that is easily damaged. The trees can grow to well over 100 feet tall, with eastern species sometimes reaching 190 feet."