Thursday, October 15, 2020

One Man's Maple Moon: Tea Tanka by Neal Whitman

English Original

two cups of tea
poured from a cast iron pot
are not the same --
into each you and I
stir our own memories
    
Eucalypt, 24, 2018

Neal Whitman


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

從鐵鑄的壺
倒出來的兩杯茶
有不一樣的口感 --
在你們每個人的心中
我喚起我們自己的回憶

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

从铁铸的壶
倒出来的两杯茶
有不一样的口感 --
在你们每个人的心中
我唤起我们自己的回忆


Bio Sketch

Neal Whitman lives with his wife, Elaine, in Pacific Grove, California, where he is a docent at Point Pinos Lighthouse. Visitors who come there from near and far inspire him to write poetry that takes the “particular" to convey the “universal". Neal is Vice President of the United Haiku and Tanka Society.

1 comment:

  1. The contrasts (physical/concrete vs non-physical/mental, smell and taste vs memories ...) between the two parts of this relationship tanka are thematically significant and emotionally effective, and one question -- our "own memories" entwined or disjointed -- as a reflection is left to the reader.

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