Friday, April 29, 2016

One Man's Maple Moon: Doll's Life Tanka by Sergio A. Ortiz

English Original

tumbling
through winter
she knew she didn't stay fit...
a doll's life trapped
inside a young man’s body

Sergio A. Ortiz


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

蹣跚地度過冬天
她知道她並沒有保持
身材適中並且健康 ...
一個洋娃娃的生命被困在
年輕男人的身體裡

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

蹒跚地度过冬天
她知道她并没有保持
身材适中并且健康 ...
一个洋娃娃的生命被困在
年轻男人的身体里


Bio Sketch

Sergio A. Ortiz is the founding editor of Undertow Tanka Review. He lives in San Juan Puerto Rico.  He is a four-time nominee for the 2010-2011 Sundress Best of the Web Anthology, and a two-time 2010 Pushcart nominee.

1 comment:

  1. In Sergio's poignant and timely tanka, the physical and psychological impacts on "a person of between" are powerfully depicted in a gloomy winter image and through the highlighted contrasts between "doll's life" and "young man's body." His tanka reminds me of one of my tanka dealing with a similar issue:

    the diary
    under a floorboard
    in his room
    the broken mirror reflects
    her breast binder
    (for Ru-nas)

    "Chiaroscuro," Atlas Poetica Special Feature, 2012

    Note: Ru-na literally means “be/act like (ru) a man (na)” in Chinese

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