Wednesday, October 26, 2016

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

English Original

how will life be
when it unfolds in your hands,
a fish squirming
to return to water,
or a ship ready to sail?

Sergio A. Ortiz


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

當生活在你手中展開時
它將會成為什麼,
一條魚左右擺動
要回到水裡,
或是一艘船準備航行?

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

当生活在你手中展开时
它将会成为什麽,
一条鱼左右摆动
要回到水里,
或是一艘船準备航行?


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 this one-sentence, philosophic tanka written from a second-person perspective, the question about life is infused with concrete visuals and symbolic significance, effectively opening up an interpretative space for the reader's imagination.

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