Monday, September 30, 2019

Butterfly Dream: Palm Reader Haiku by Sonam Chhoki

English Original

stars veining the sky ...
the palm reader couldn’t tell
our fates were tied

Otata, 14, February 2017

Sonam Chhoki


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

繁星點點的天空 ...
看手相的人無法分辨我們的命運
糾結在一起

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

繁星点点的天空...
看手相的人无法分辨我们的命运
纠结在一起 


Bio Sketch

Sonam Chhoki finds the Japanese short form poetry resonates with her Tibetan Buddhist upbringing.  She is inspired by her father, Sonam Gyamtsho, the architect of Bhutan's non-monastic modern education and by her mother, Chhoden Jangmu, who taught her: “Being a girl doesn’t mean you can’t do anything.” She is the principal editor, and co-editor of haibun for the United Haiku and Tanka Society journal, cattails.

1 comment:

  1. Sonam's fine verb choice, "veining," in L1 provides a "scent link" (in Basho's sense of the phrase) to "palm reading" in L2 and unexpected yet poignant L3 adds emotional weight to the haiku.

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