Saturday, June 17, 2017

One Man's Maple Moon: Footprints Tanka by Kristyn Blessing

English Original

the hills catch fire
tourists wear sunglasses
and place their shoes
in the footprints
of the dead

Modern English Tanka, 3:3, Fall 2009

Kristyn Blessing


Chinese Translation (Traditional)
   
山丘著火
遊客們戴太陽眼鏡
並將他們的鞋子
放在死人所留下的
腳印中

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

山丘著火
遊客们戴太阳眼镜
并将他们的鞋子
放在死人所留下的
脚印中


Bio Sketch

Kristyn Blessing has been writing tanka, haiku, and short poetry for 15 years. She teaches English as a Second Language and Composition at the University of Wisconsin-Stout. She has had poetry published in various places including Modern English Tanka, American Tanka, and Failed Haiku.

4 comments:

  1. Kristyn's tanka effectively builds, line by line, to a poignant and surprising ending that has the most weight and reveals the theme of "disaster tourism."

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  2. I like the idea of obliviousness to mortality, no matter where or when you live, conveyed in this poem.

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  3. Such a riveting poem!she has been a depth of inspiration to me.

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