Sunday, December 18, 2016

One Man's Maple Moon: River Tanka by Caroline Skanne

English Original

when our river
swallows the moon
i need you
to follow me
there and back

The Bamboo Hut, Autumn 2014

Caroline Skanne


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

當我們的河流
吞下月亮時
我需要你
跟著我
去那裡並一起回來

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

当我们的河流
吞下月亮时
我需要你
跟著我
去那里并一起回来 


Bio Sketch

Caroline Skanne, Rochester, UK is obsessed with anything wild and free. She is the founder of hedgerow: a journal of small poems. Her book a hundred poems by caroline skanne is available from amazon.

3 comments:

  1. Caroline's use of the symbolically rich images of "river" and "moon" in this relationship tanka is emotionally effective, and this poem reminds me of "Moon River" by Andy Williams:

    ...

    Two drifters, off to see the world
    There's such a lot of world to see
    We're after the same rainbow's end, waitin' 'round the bend
    My huckleberry friend, moon river, and me

    Oh, dream maker, you heart breaker
    Wherever you're goin', I'm goin' your way
    ...

    ReplyDelete
  2. Quite romantic. Love the Tanka.
    Jan Benson

    ReplyDelete