English Original
every morning
he brings me tea in a mug
only slightly chipped
everyday his love for me
something different
Frameless Sky, 15, 2022
Susan Mary Wade
Chinese Translation (Traditional)
每天早上
他給我端來一杯茶
它有一些缺口
然而每天他對我的愛
卻是有些不同
Chinese Translation (Simplified)
每天早上
他给我端来一杯茶
它有一些缺口
然而每天他对我的爱
却是有些不同
Bio Sketch
Susan Mary Wade has been published in International Tanka, Gusts, Ribbons, and many other magazines over the years. Her work has been anthologized, and she has received awards in the 6th, 7th and 8th International Tanka Festival Competition in Japan.
In this understated tanka, the practice of love/the experience of being loved is explored through the daily ritual of drinking tea in a slightly-chipped mug.
ReplyDeleteWhat's left unsaid is as potent as what's said.
It might be interesting to do a thematic comparative reading of the following tea tanka:
Deletesensing
his loneliness
I hide my loneliness
in the tea cup
this cold afternoon
I'm a Traveler, 2011
Kozue Uzawa