English Original
spelling
her way through the maze
of life
she trips up
at the curve of the moon
Laurels, 6, 2026
Katherine E. Winnick
Chinese Translation (Traditional)
透過拼寫文字
她穿過迷宮般
的人生
卻在月亮的彎道處
跌倒了
Chinese Translation (Simplified)
透过拼写文字
她穿过迷宫般
的人生
却在月亮的弯道处
跌倒了
Bio Sketch
Katherine E Winnick is an internationally published award winning Japanese short form poet, an editor and curator at the Wee Sparrow Poetry Press and founding editor of the Shadow Pond Journal with three poetry collections all at Alien Buddha Press: My Hennaed Hand, 2023, Baobab Roots, 2026 & Red String, 2026.
This tanka succeeds through its quiet, surreal progression from the methodical to the inexplicable.
ReplyDeleteLs 1–3, “spelling / her way through the maze / of life,” establish a compelling premise. “Spelling” evokes childhood, language, and the painstaking, step-by-step effort to make sense of the world. It carries a subtle double meaning: the protagonist is navigating a path while simultaneously trying to articulate her experience. The metaphor of the maze conveys complexity without relying on over-explanation.
Ls 4&5, “she trips up / at the curve of the moon,” provide the poem's emotional and imaginative core. The moon—remote and intangible—suddenly becomes a physical obstacle. The verb “trips” grounds this cosmic image in human vulnerability. Ultimately, the moon’s curve suggests the limits of human reason, the unpredictability of fate, or the precise moment where logic gives way to the surreal.