Monday, January 31, 2022

One Man's Maple Moon: Ring Finger Tanka by Barun Saha

English Original

there
but not quite there
the day moon ...
            a lifetime of mirage
clinging to the ring finger

Barun Saha


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

在那裡
但又不完全在那裡
白天的月亮 ...
            海市蜃樓的一生
緊貼在無名指上

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

在那里
但又不完全在那里
白天的月亮 ...
            海市蜃楼的一生
紧贴在无名指上


Bio Sketch

Barun Saha, PhD, is a Scientist working in Bangalore, India. Barun primarily writes tanka, haiku, and cherita, and  has published in several international journals, such as Atlas Poetica, Ribbons, and the cherita. Barun is a member  of the Tanka Society of America and the United Haiku and Tanka Society. Visit http://barunsaha.me for more information.

2 comments:

  1. Enhanced by the use of synecdoche (a part/wedding ring used to refer to the whole/marriage), Saha's tanka effectively conveys a sense of uncertainty (Ls 1-3) or even delusion (L4) in a thematically and emotionally paradoxical manner. (there ...not there ...the day moon/lifetime of mirage clinging to the ring finer/lifetime of commitment:"from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part").

    And it might be interesting to do a comparative reading of the following two tanka, which, I think, could be read as sequels to Saha's:


    full moon party
    for the newly single
    I feel exposed
    like the skin
    where my ring used to be

    Bright Stars, VII, 2014

    Chen-ou Liu

    by the fountain
    with a ring encircling
    my finger ...
    all I knew then
    was the word "forever"

    The Bluebird’s Cry, 2016

    Christine L. Villa

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you, Chen-ou, for kindly publishing the translations! It is an honor to see my poems get translated for the first time!

    ReplyDelete