Monday, November 2, 2015

Butterfly Dream: Three Drunkards Haiku by Doug D'Elia

English Original

sake with friends
the moon and my shadow
three drunkards

Frogpond, 37:2, Summer 2014

Doug D'Elia


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

與朋友喝日本清酒
月亮和我的影子
三個酒鬼

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

与朋友喝日本清酒
月亮和我的影子
叁个酒鬼


Bio Sketch

Doug D'Elia was born in Massachusetts. He is a graduate of the University of Central Florida where he majored in Philosophy and Religion, and he served as a medic during the Vietnam War. He is the author of 4 books. A  list of his published work and projects can be found at dougdelia.com

1 comment:

  1. The "hai" aspect of this allusive haiku about a man drinking alone under the moon is enhanced by L3, "three drunkards" -- the moon, the speaker, and his shadow.

    Below is "Drinking Alone by Moonlight" by Li Bai ( also known as Li Po; he was famous for his drinking, but he was no simple-minded drunk. Here drinking is linked to longing for absent friends):

    A cup of wine, under the flowering trees;
    I drink alone, for no friend is near.
    Raising my cup I beckon the bright moon,
    For he, with my shadow, will make three men.
    The moon, alas, is no drinker of wine;
    Listless, my shadow creeps about at my side.
    Yet with the moon as friend and the shadow as slave
    I must make merry before the Spring is spent.
    To the songs I sing the moon flickers her beams;
    In the dance I weave my shadow tangles and breaks.
    While we were sober, three shared the fun;
    Now we are drunk, each goes his way.
    May we long share our odd, inanimate feast,
    And meet at last on the Cloudy River of the sky.

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