English Original
they talk
behind my back
like flies
who think they are
a carabao
Jack Fruit Moon, 2009
Robert D. Wilson
Chinese Translation (Traditional)
在我背後
他們議論紛紛
就像蒼蠅一樣
卻自以為是
一頭水牛
Chinese Translation (Simplified)
在我背后
他们议论纷纷
就像苍蝇一样
却自以为是
一头水牛
Bio Sketch
Robert D. Wilson is Co-Owner of Simply Haiku.
This tanka delivers a sharp, comic-satirical turn anchored by a deeply memorable final image. Its greatest strength lies in the jarring disproportion between the buzzing flies in L3 and the massive carabao in L5.
ReplyDeleteBy comparing gossiping onlookers to flies, the speaker perfectly captures the pettiness of the act. Ls 4&5 reveal that these critics harbor an inflated sense of their own power and importance.
Concluding with the word "carabao" gives the poem physical weight, grounding it in a rich cultural specificity. Ultimately, it is this abrupt, masterful shift in scale that gives the tanka its brilliant comic punch.