One Man's Maple Moon: Aftersound Tanka by Linda Jeannette Ward

English Original

it hasn’t stopped

where your hands

slid all over me

a deep humming

like the aftersound of bells

                                     

Scent of Jasmine and Brine, 2007

Linda Jeannette Ward 

Chinese Translation (Traditional)

它沒有停止

當你的雙手

滑過我全身

深沉的嗡嗡聲

像鐘響的餘音

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

它没有停止

当你的双手

滑过我全身

深沉的嗡嗡声

像钟响的余音

Bio Sketch

Linda Jeannette Ward was best known for her tanka poetry, published in journals internationally, and included in two collections: A Frayed Red Thread (Clinging Vine Press, 2000) and Scent of Jasmine and Brine (Inkling Press, 2007). Her tanka won 2nd and 3rd prizes in the Tanka Society of America's annual competition, as well as four Tanka Splendor Awards. And her collection, a delicate dance of wings, received the Haiku Society of America's 2003 Merit Book Award for Best Book of Haibun. 

Poetic Musings: Aftersound Tanka by Linda Jeannette Ward

it hasn’t stopped

where your hands

slid all over me

a deep humming

like the aftersound of bells

                                     

Scent of Jasmine and Brine, 2007

Linda Jeannette Ward 

Commentary: Linda Jeannette Ward expertly manages to weave two senses, rich with meaning, into the one tanka. However, neither overpowers the other. Each complements and elevates to raise the sensual awareness of the entire poem.

-- excerpted from "To the Lighthouse: Sensing Tanka: Perceiving Life Beyond the Ordinary" by David Terelinck

Poetic Musings: Tundra Swans Tanka by Linda Jeannette Ward

for three dawns

the faint call of tundra swans

through a drifting mist --

once more I replay your

last message on my machine

                                     

Scent of Jasmine and Brine, 2007

Linda Jeannette Ward

Commentary: In this tanka Jeanette presents two sounds that are both opposed and linked. Opposed in that one sound is alive and animated (the tundra swans call), and the other is mechanised (a voice recording on an answering machine). Yet at the same time these sounds are linked by their haunting quality, and the inability to see or pin down the instigator of the sound.

-- excerpted from "To the Lighthouse: Sensing Tanka: Perceiving Life Beyond the Ordinary" by David Terelinck

One Man's Maple Moon: Comfort of Tears Tanka by Linda Jeannette Ward

English Original

the comfort of tears

mirrored in dragonfly eyes

thousands of lives

all at once in the sun

pulling me into their dance

In Sun, Snow & Rain, 2023

Linda Jeannette Ward 

Chinese Translation (Traditional)

眼淚的安慰

反映在蜻蜓的眼睛裡

成千上萬的生命

一下子都出現在陽光下

將我帶入他們的舞蹈中

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

眼泪的安慰

反映在蜻蜓的眼睛里

成千上万的生命

一下子都出现在阳光下

将我带入他们的舞蹈中

Bio Sketch

Linda Jeannette Ward was best known for her tanka poetry, published in journals internationally, and included in two collections: A Frayed Red Thread (Clinging Vine Press, 2000) and Scent of Jasmine and Brine (Inkling Press, 2007). Her tanka won 2nd and 3rd prizes in the Tanka Society of America's annual competition, as well as four Tanka Splendor Awards. And her collection, a delicate dance of wings, received the Haiku Society of America's 2003 Merit Book Award for Best Book of Haibun. 

Cool Announcement: New Release, In Sun, Snow & Rain Edited by A. A Marcoff

My Dear Readers:

I'm happy to share with you this exciting news: NeverEnding Story contributor, A A Marcoff, edited a new book, In Sun, Snow & Rain: Tanka from a World of Song, which was published in January 2023 by The British Haiku Society. It's a tanka anthology as a tribute to the late tanka poet, Linda Jeannette Ward

Haiku strike a momentary chord. Tanka sing, and leave a lingering spell. -- James Kirkup

Selected Tanka:

the comfort of tears

mirrored in dragonfly eyes

thousands of lives

all at once in the sun

pulling me into their dance

Linda Jeannette Ward

steam rising 

from our coffee cups …

silence 

hangs in the air

of our hazy past

Chen-ou Liu

breeze off the lake

I drift in and out

of love

I kiss the berry stains

on little fingers and toes

Marilyn Ashbaugh

we meet again

not knowing what to say

who will speak first?

a clash of waves

from different directions

Sue Richards 

a sliver

of day moon ...

saree slips

from the shoulder

of a nursing mom

Vandana Parashar

One Man's Maple Moon: Color of Grief Tanka by Linda Jeannette Ward

English Original

I set the white table 

expecting your arrival 

but only wind 

the color of grief 

blows open my secret door 

Modern English Tanka, 1:1, Autumn 2006 

Linda Jeannette Ward 

Chinese Translation (Traditional)

我擺好白色餐桌

期待你的到來

但只有大風

悲傷的顏色

吹開了我的秘密之門

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

我摆好白色餐桌

期待你的到来

但只有大风

悲伤的颜色

吹开了我的秘密之门

Bio Sketch

Linda Jeannette Ward was best known for her tanka poetry, published in journals internationally, and included in two collections: A Frayed Red Thread (Clinging Vine Press, 2000) and Scent of Jasmine and Brine (Inkling Press, 2007). Her tanka won 2nd and 3rd prizes in the Tanka Society of America's annual competition, as well as four Tanka Splendor Awards. And her collection, a delicate dance of wings, received the Haiku Society of America's 2003 Merit Book Award for Best Book of Haibun. 

One Man's Maple Moon: Dream Creatures Tanka by Linda Jeannette Ward

English Original

the pine sap

that would not wash from my hands

darkens . . .

night after night

dream creatures speak your last words

Second Place, 2001 Tanka Society of America Tanka Contest

Linda Jeannette Ward 

Chinese Translation (Traditional)

我手上洗不掉

的松樹汁液

它的顏色變暗

一夜又一夜

夢中的生靈道出你的遺言

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

我手上洗不掉

的松树汁液

它的颜色变暗

一夜又一夜

梦中的生灵道出你的遗言

Bio Sketch

Linda Jeannette Ward was best known for her tanka poetry, published in journals internationally, and included in two collections: A Frayed Red Thread (Clinging Vine Press, 2000) and Scent of Jasmine and Brine (Inkling Press, 2007). Her tanka won 2nd and 3rd prizes in the Tanka Society of America's annual competition, as well as four Tanka Splendor Awards. And her collection, a delicate dance of wings, received the Haiku Society of America's 2003 Merit Book Award for Best Book of Haibun. 

One Man's Maple Moon: Tundra Swans Tanka by Linda Jeannette Ward

English Original

for three dawns

the faint call of tundra swans

through a drifting mist --

once more I replay your

last message on my machine

                                     

Scent of Jasmine and Brine, 2007

Linda Jeannette Ward

Chinese Translation (Traditional)

已經三個黎明

苔原天鵝微弱的呼叫聲

穿過飄浮的薄霧 --

我再次播放答錄機上

你的最後一條留言

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

已经三个黎明

苔原天鹅微弱的呼叫声

穿过飘浮的薄雾 --

我再次播放答录机上

你的最后一条留言

Bio Sketch

Linda Jeannette Ward was best known for her tanka poetry, published in journals internationally, and included in two collections: A Frayed Red Thread (Clinging Vine Press, 2000) and Scent of Jasmine and Brine (Inkling Press, 2007). Her tanka won 2nd and 3rd prizes in the Tanka Society of America's annual competition, as well as four Tanka Splendor Awards. And her collection, a delicate dance of wings, received the Haiku Society of America's 2003 Merit Book Award for Best Book of Haibun.