Wednesday, December 27, 2017

One Man's Maple Moon: Small Voice Tanka by Naomi Beth Wakan

English Original

my small voice
struggles its way
onto the page
hard to hear it when each moment
trawls with it past memories

Bent Arm for a Pillow, 2016

Naomi Beth Wakan

 

Chinese Translation (Traditional)

我的微弱聲音
一路上掙扎著
書寫到稿紙上
很難聽到它的聲音因為每一時刻
都受到過去記憶的拖累

Chinese Translation (Simplified)


我的微弱声音
一路上挣扎着
书写到稿纸上
很难听到它的声音因为每一时刻
都受到过去记忆的拖累


Bio Sketch

Naomi Beth Wakan is the inaugural Poet Laureate of Nanaimo (2013). She has published over 50 books. Her poetry books include Sex after 70 and other poems and And After 80… (both from Bevalia Press) and Bent Arm for a Pillow (Pacific-Rim Publishers). Naomi is a member of The League of Canadian Poets, Haiku Canada and Tanka Canada and is the Inaugural Honorary Ambassador for the BC Federation of Writers. She lives on Gabriola Island with her husband, the sculptor, Elias Wakan. www.naomiwakan.com

2 comments:

  1. Through a potent simile and visually and emotionally powerful verbs, Naomi's heartfelt tanka makes this writing process relatable and memorable.

    Writing tanka is hours and hours of struggle for a moment of clarity and grace.

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  2. Wow, cool post. I'd like to write like this too - taking time and real hard work to make a great article... but I put things off too much and never seem to get started. Thanks though. Voice solution

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