English Original
beneath the foot
of the hero’s monument
the tourist’s shadow
Frogpond, 23:3, 2000
Dimitar Anakiev
Chinese Translation (Traditional)
英雄紀念碑
的腳下
遊客的影子
Chinese Translation (Simplified)
英雄纪念碑
的脚下
游客的影子
Bio sketch
Dimitar Anakiev (aka Kamesan 亀さん, b. 1960 in Belgrade) poet, writer and filmmaker, began to write and publish poetry at the age of 13, and began writing haiku in 1985. He is the “father“ of many Balkan haiku projects such as Haiku Novine (Serbia) and Prijatelj and Apokalipsa haiku edition (Slovenia). He is a co-founder of World Haiku Association and co-editor of Knots: An Anthology of Southeatern European Haiku Poetry. His awards include the European Award: The Medal of Franz Kafka, The Museum of Haiku Literature Award, Haiku Society of America annual Merit Book Award and prizes from Mainichi Daily News, Daily Yomiuri (both Tokyo) and Azami (Osaka). He has also won several film awards, including the National Slovenian Award for best documentary film.
The contrast between “the hero’s monument, L2” (permanence, glorification, history) and “the tourist’s shadow, L3” (temporary, anonymous, fleeting) is sharp and meaningful.
ReplyDeleteAnd the haiku doesn't tell readers what to think about heroism or tourism; the image does the work.
What's left unsaid is at least as potent as what's stated.