Saturday, August 2, 2025

One Man's Maple Moon: Laughter and Wit Tanka by Marian Olson

English Original 

something about him
opens the doors of my ears 
and I listen --
beyond his laughter and wit
a man who weeps

A Hundred Gourds, 1:2, March 2012

Marian Olson


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

他的性格特點
打開了我的耳朵
使我注意聆聽 --
除了他的笑聲和智慧之外
他是一個會哭的男人

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

他的性格特点
打开了我的耳朵
使我注意聆听 --
除了他的笑声和智慧之外
他是一个会哭的男人


Bio Sketch

Marian Olson, non-fiction writer and widely published international poet, was the author of nine books of poetry, including the award winning haiku in Songs of the Chicken YardDesert HoursConsider This, andMoondance.  Published in 2017, The Other and Kaleidoscope were her first books of tanka.

1 comment:

  1. Marion's tanka effectively builds, line/poetic phrase (ku) by line/poetic phrase (ku), to an unexpected yet thematically significant and emotionally powerful ending that reveals the theme of "non-macho characters/non-toxic masculinity."

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