Wednesday, February 27, 2019

One Man's Maple Moon: Childhood Rosary Tanka by Simon Hanson

English Original

childhood rosary
i test myself
on a Hail Mary
recalling at last the final words
now and at the hour of our death

A Hundred Gourds, 5:1, December 2015

Simon Hanson


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

童年的念珠
我測試自己唸誦
聖母祈禱文
最後回憶起它的結語
此時和我們死亡前的那一刻

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

童年的念珠
我测试自己念诵
圣母祈祷文
最后回忆起它的结语
此时和我们死亡前的那一刻


Bio Sketch

Simon Hanson lives in sub-tropical Queensland, Australia where he enjoys his proximity to the Pacific Ocean and areas of rainforest.  He is a committee member of the Australian Haiku Society and is published in various journals and anthologies.

1 comment:

  1. Simon's tanka effectively builds, line/poetic phrase by line/poetic phrase, to a religiously significant and emotionally powerful ending that reveals the theme of the impact of/reflection on one's childhood indoctrination/religious beliefs. And what's left unsaid is at least as potent as what's said.

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