Saturday, March 15, 2014

One Man's Maple Moon: A Tanka about Writing by George Swede

English Original

Yesterday, I thought
my new poem was brilliant
today, it seems confused --
the morning sun in a haze
over the marsh reeds 

Modern English Tanka, 1:2, Winter 2006

George Swede


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

昨天,我認為
我的新詩卓越非凡
今天,它似乎顛三倒四 --
早晨的太陽浮現在
陰霾的蘆葦沼澤之中

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

昨天,我认为
我的新诗卓越非凡
今天,它似乎颠叁倒四 --
早晨的太阳浮现在
阴霾的芦苇沼泽之中


Bio Sketch

George Swede has published two collections of tanka: First Light, First Shadows (Liverpool: Snapshot Press, 2006) and White Thoughts, Blue Mind (Edmonton: Inkling Press, 2010). His tanka have also appeared in a number of anthologies, including The Tanka Anthology (Red Moon Press, 2003) and a number of journals, including Ribbons and Gusts.

1 comment:

  1. George subtly establishes a simile between the upper verse (the speaker's thoughts on writing, which, I think, every poet, beginning and experienced, can relate to) and the lower verse (a visually and emotionally evocative image).

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