English Original
afterwards
nothing else matters
white poppy
Blithe Spirit, 34:2, 2024
Brendon Kent
Chinese Translation (Traditional)
之後
其他一切都不重要了
白罌粟
Chinese Translation (Simplified)
之后
其他一切都不重要了
白罂粟
Bio Sketch
Brendon Kent lived in Botley, an old English village in the southern countryside, dating back to circa 890 AD. Born in the late 1950s, he wrote poetry for many years, with a particular fondness for short forms. His haiku and senryu appeared in leading books and journals worldwide. He was a member of the British Haiku Society.
This war-and-peace haiku is understated yet poignant.
ReplyDeleteTraditionally, the red poppy symbolizes remembrance of the war dead, while the white poppy in L 3 represents peace and a commitment to preventing all wars. Placed after L2, “nothing else matters,” the white poppy becomes a quiet yet devastating plea for peace amid the total ruin intimated in L1, “afterwards.”