English Original
pressing my ear
against the trunk of a silk tree
moist with mist
I enquire about the tidings
of those out of sight
Songs for Spirits, 2022
Kiyoko Ogawa
Chinese Translation (Traditional)
我的耳朵
貼近一棵合歡樹
因霧氣潮溼的樹幹
我打聽一些消息有關
那些不在世上的人
Chinese Translation (Simplified)
我的耳朵
贴近一棵合欢树
因雾气潮湿的树干
我打听一些消息有关
那些不在世上的人
Bio Sketch
Kiyoko Ogawa (1952--) is a Kyoto-born poet, essayist, and academic.
Kiyoko's tanka effectively builds, line by line, to an unexpected yet thematically significant and emotionally poignant ending that reveals the theme of (understanding and coping with) loss and grief, and reconnecting with life after loss.
ReplyDeleteAnd the symbolic significance of a silk tree ("合"歡樹, tree of joy "together" as a symbol of love) in Ls 1-3 adds emotional weight and psychological depth to the tanka.