I walk past
the street kid
holding out a dirty palm --
the gray day
begins spitting
Spent Blossoms, 2015 Tanka Society of America Members' Anthology
Wendy Bourke
Chinese Translation (Traditional)
我擦身而過
一個街頭小孩
他伸出一隻髒手 --
灰色的天空
開始下毛毛雨
Chinese Translation (Simplified)
我擦身而过
一个街头小孩
他伸出一只脏手 -
灰色的天空
开始下毛毛雨
Bio Sketch
Wendy
Bourke lives in Vancouver, Canada where she writes, takes long rambling
walks gathering photos and inspiration – and hangs out with her young
grandsons. Her work has appeared in dozens of anthologies, journals,
chapbooks and tanka publications.
Ls 1-3 sketch a not-so-unusual urban street scene while the unexpected yet visually and emotionally poignant last word, spitting (not commonly used verb, drizzling), enhances the gloomy tone and mood of the tanka.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for this, Chen-ou. I am honored to have my tanka translated.
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