One Man's Maple Moon: Possibilities Tanka by Richard St. Clair

English Original

morning breeze

too cool for comfort

I close the door

to myriad possibilities

this early autumn day

Gusts, 28, Fall/Winter 2018

Richard St. Clair 

Chinese Translation (Traditional)

早晨的微風

太涼爽了感到不舒服

在這個初秋的日子

我關上

有無數能性的大門

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

早晨的微风

太凉爽了感到不舒服

在这个初秋的日子

我关上

有无数能性的大门

 

Bio Sketch

Richard St. Clair (b. 1946) is a New England poet and composer of some renown. In addition to writing haiku and tanka, he also writes haibun and is an enthusiastic sonneteer. As a composer he has set the works of many haiku and tanka poets (living and deceased) to music.

Butterfly Dream: Killdeer Haiku by Richard St. Clair

English Original

day moon

the fading call

of a killdeer

Boston Haiku Society Newsletter, July 2020

Richard St. Clair 

Chinese Translation (Traditional)

白天的月亮

一隻千鳥

漸漸衰弱的呼叫聲

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

白天的月亮

一只千鸟

渐渐衰弱的呼叫声

 

Bio Sketch

Richard St. Clair (b. 1946) is a New England poet and composer of some renown. In addition to writing haiku and tanka, he also writes haibun and is an enthusiastic sonneteer. As a composer he has set the works of many haiku and tanka poets (living and deceased) to music.

One Man's Maple Moon: Autumnal Chorus Tanka by Richard St. Clair

English Original

singing the blues

not sure whether they're joyful

or sad

a flood with motley memories

a crazed autumnal chorus

Gusts, 28, Fall/Winter 2018

Richard St. Clair 

Chinese Translation (Traditional)

吟唱藍調歌曲

不確定他們是否快樂

或是悲傷

氾濫的繁雜記憶

瘋狂的秋季合唱

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

吟唱蓝调歌曲

不确定他们是否快乐

或是悲伤

泛滥的繁杂记忆

疯狂的秋季合唱

 

Bio Sketch

Richard St. Clair (b. 1946) is a New England poet and composer of some renown. In addition to writing haiku and tanka, he also writes haibun and is an enthusiastic sonneteer. As a composer he has set the works of many haiku and tanka poets (living and deceased) to music.

Butterfly Dream: Ghost Town Haiku by Richard St. Clair

English Original

a corona
around the winter moon ...
ghost town

Richard St. Clair


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

圍繞冬月 

的一層稀薄氣體光環 ...

鬼城 

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

围绕冬月

的一层稀薄气体光环 ...

鬼城 

Bio Sketch

Richard St. Clair (b.1946), in addition to an accomplished poet, is a recognized composer of modern classical music, performed widely. His poems -- not only haiku but also tanka and Western forms such as sonnet -- have appeared in many important venues. He is a Shin Buddhist in Massachusetts, USA.

Butterfly Dream: Covid-19 Stats Haiku by Richard St. Clair

English Original

these nameless
covid-19 stats  ...
shivering drizzle

Boston Haiku Society Newsletter, March 2020

Richard St. Clair


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

這些無名
的新冠狀病毒統計數據 ...
冷得發抖的毛毛雨

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

这些无名
的新冠状病毒统计数据 ...
冷得发抖的毛毛雨


Bio Sketch

Richard St. Clair (b.1946), in addition to an accomplished poet, is a recognized composer of modern classical music, performed widely. His poems -- not only haiku but also tanka and Western forms such as sonnet -- have appeared in many important venues. He is a Shin Buddhist in Massachusetts, USA.

Butterfly Dream: Larkspur Haiku by Richard St. Clair

English Original

spring sunset
the narrowing road
turns to larkspur

Frogpond, 37:2, Spring/Summer 2014

Richard St. Clair


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

春天日落時分
一條狹窄的道路彎向
一大片地中海花毛茛

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

春天日落时分
一条狭窄的道路弯向
一大片地中海花毛茛


Bio Sketch

Richard St. Clair (b.1946), in addition to an accomplished poet, is a recognized composer of modern classical music, performed widely. His poems -- not only haiku but also tanka and Western forms such as sonnet -- have appeared in many important venues. He is a Shin Buddhist in Massachusetts, USA.

Butterfly Dream: Cranberry Workers Haiku by Richard St. Clair

English Original

twilight adagio
moving through the ocean fog
cranberry workers

First Prize, 2001 Kiyoshi Tokutomi Haiku Award

Richard St. Clair


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

暮色慢板音樂
一群酸果莓工人
穿越海霧

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

暮色慢板音乐
一群酸果莓工人
穿越海雾 


Bio Sketch

Richard St. Clair (b.1946), in addition to an accomplished poet, is a recognized composer of modern classical music, performed widely. His poems -- not only haiku but also tanka and Western forms such as sonnet -- have appeared in many important venues. He is a Shin Buddhist in Massachusetts, USA.

One Man's Maple Moon: Grieving Tanka by Richard St. Clair

English Original

refuge at home
in a steady cold rain
puddles everywhere
and the sky growing dark
as if it knew my grieving

Atlas Poetica, 17, Spring 2014

Richard St. Clair


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

避難在家
一場源源不斷的冰冷大雨
到處都是水坑
而天空漸漸變暗
好像它知道我的悲傷

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

避难在家
一场源源不断的冰冷大雨
到处都是水坑
而天空渐渐变暗
好像它知道我的悲伤 


Bio Sketch

Richard St. Clair (b.1946), in addition to an accomplished poet, is a recognized composer of modern classical music, performed widely. His poems -- not only haiku but also tanka and Western forms such as sonnet -- have appeared in many important venues. He is a Shin Buddhist in Massachusetts, USA.

Butterfly Dream: Train of Toddlers Haiku by Richard St. Clair

English Original

humming to myself
a train of toddlers
in strollers

Richard St. Clair


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

對著自己低唱
長長一排的幼兒
坐在嬰兒車內

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

对着自己低唱
长长一排的幼儿
坐在婴儿车内


Bio Sketch

Richard St. Clair (b.1946), in addition to an accomplished poet, is a recognized composer of modern classical music, performed widely. His poems -- not only haiku but also tanka and Western forms such as sonnet -- have appeared in many important venues. He is a Shin Buddhist in Massachusetts, USA.

One Man's Maple Moon: Wood Fire Tanka by Richard St. Clair

English Original

a wood fire
burning through the night
the full moon
captures my dreams
as the flame does the moth

Atlas Poetica, 17, Spring 2014

Richard St. Clair


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

壁爐的火
整個晚上都在燃燒
一輪明月
捕獲我的夢想
猶如火焰捕捉飛蛾

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

壁炉的火
整个晚上都在燃烧
一轮明月
捕获我的梦想
犹如火焰捕捉飞蛾


Bio Sketch

Richard St. Clair (b. 1946) is both classical composer and poet. His 150+ compositions have been heard far and wide. His poems, including tanka, haiku, cherita and englyn, have been published in several on-line and print journals. A native of North Dakota, he has lived in New England most of his life.

One Man's Maple Moon: Midnight Train Tanka by Richard St. Clair

English Original

slipping back to sleep
the rumble
of the midnight train
on its routine run
a lullaby of steel and fire

Gusts, 23, Spring/Summer 2016

Richard St. Clair


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

我再次入睡
依照它的日常班表
午夜火車
的隆隆聲
是一個鋼鐵和火的搖籃曲

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

我再次入睡
依照它的日常班表
午夜火车
的隆隆声
是一个钢铁和火的摇篮曲


Bio Sketch

Richard St. Clair (b. 1946) has been writing tanka for over 15 years. His work has appeared in Gusts and Atlas Poetica publications as well as online. He is also a serious composer of classical music with over 120 works to his credit. He lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.