Butterfly Dream: Moving Day Haiku by Bob Lucky

English Original

moving day

a last look at the cactus

that never bloomed                

Modern Haiku, 51:3, 2020

Bob Lucky           

Chinese Translation (Traditional)

搬家日

最後一眼凝視那株

從未開花的仙人掌

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

搬家日

最后一眼凝视那株

从未开花的仙人掌

Bio Sketch

Bob Lucky is the author of Ethiopian Time (Red Bird Chapbooks, 2014), Conversation Starters in a Language No One Speaks (SurVision Books, 2018), My Thology: Not Always True But Always Truth (Cyberwit, 2019), and the e-chapbook What I Say to You (proletaria.org, 2020). He lives in Portugal. 

Butterfly Dream: Spring Cleaning Haiku by Bob Lucky

English Original

spring cleaning

the mouse trap

unsprung                                 

Rattled, 2020

Bob Lucky           

Chinese Translation (Traditional)

春季大掃除

捕鼠器

沒有彈開

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

春季大扫除

捕鼠器

没有弹开

Bio Sketch

Bob Lucky is the author of Ethiopian Time (Red Bird Chapbooks, 2014), Conversation Starters in a Language No One Speaks (SurVision Books, 2018), My Thology: Not Always True But Always Truth (Cyberwit, 2019), and the e-chapbook What I Say to You (proletaria.org, 2020). He lives in Portugal.

Butterfly Dream: Crowded Cafe Haiku by Bob Lucky

English Original

crowded café

a fly goes in and out

of our conversation                            

tinywords, 20:2, 1 Dec 2020

Bob Lucky           

Chinese Translation (Traditional)

擁擠的咖啡館

在我們交談的期間

一隻蒼蠅飛進飛出

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

拥挤的咖啡馆

在我们交谈的期间

一只苍蝇飞进飞出

Bio Sketch

Bob Lucky is the author of Ethiopian Time (Red Bird Chapbooks, 2014), Conversation Starters in a Language No One Speaks (SurVision Books, 2018), My Thology: Not Always True But Always Truth (Cyberwit, 2019), and the e-chapbook What I Say to You (proletaria.org, 2020). He lives in Portugal.

Poetic Musings: Thai Massage Tanka by Bob Lucky

Thai massage 

at the women’s prison --

she works on my feet 

and plans her escape; 

I can feel it

Take Five : Best Contemporary Tanka, Vol. 3,  2011 

Bob Lucky

Commentary: Although Lucky went as a tourist to Thailand, his experience and thoughts go well beyond the usual tourist venues. Dark, yet humorous, trivial, yet troubling, he gives a complex and ambiguous description of an unexpected scene. Lucky’s poem exposes the power imbalance inherent between the Westerner free to fantasize about exotic Oriental women and the Asian woman who has no choice but to endure a stranger projecting his fantasies onto her, a literal prisoner at his feet.  -- excerpted from To the Lighthouse: The Problem of Tanka : Definition and Differentiation by M. Kei

One Man's Maple Moon: Last Petal Tanka by Bob Lucky

English Original

the sunflower’s
last petal hangs on
autumnal fog
grandpa points at something
not quite there                                 

Ribbons, 10:1, Fall 2014

Bob Lucky


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

在秋霧中
向日葵的最後一片花瓣
懸置在空中
爺爺指著某個東西
似乎不存在

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

在秋雾中
向日葵的最后一片花瓣
悬置在空中
爷爷指着某个东西
似乎不存在


Bio Sketch

Bob Lucky is the author of the chapbook Ethiopian Time and the content editor at Contemporary Haibun Online. He lives in Saudi Arabia.

One Man's Maple Moon: Disagreement Tanka by Bob Lucky

English Original

after dinner
the silence thickens --
the disagreement
over how to reheat risotto
still simmering

Eucalypt, 19, 2015

Bob Lucky


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

晚飯後
彼此之間的沉默變沉重了 --
對如何加熱意大利調味飯
分歧的意見
仍然被壓抑等待爆發

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

晚饭后
彼此之间的沉默变沉重了 --
对如何加热意大利调味饭
分歧的意见
仍然被压抑等待爆发


Bio Sketch

Bob Lucky is the author of the chapbook Ethiopian Time and the content editor at Contemporary Haibun Online. He lives in Saudi Arabia.

Butterfly Dream: Autumn Evening Haiku by Bob Lucky

English Original

autumn evening
the neighbors' leaves
mingle with mine

Modern Haiku, 46:2, Summer 2015

Bob Lucky


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

秋天的夜晚
鄰居的落葉和我的
混在一起

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

秋天的夜晚
邻居的落叶和我的
混在一起


Bio Sketch

Bob Lucky is the author of the chapbook Ethiopian Time and the content editor at Contemporary Haibun Online. He lives in Saudi Arabia.

One Man's Maple Moon: Sunlight Tanka by Bob Lucky

English Original

watching sunlight
slip in and out of the blinds --
my pile
of unread books
next to yours

Eucalypt, 16, 2014

Bob Lucky


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

看著陽光
溜進和溜出百葉窗 --
我的一堆未讀的書
與你的一堆未讀的書
並排在一起

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

看着阳光
溜进和溜出百叶窗 --
我的一堆未读的书
与你的一堆未读的书
并排在一起 


Bio Sketch

Bob Lucky is the author of the chapbook Ethiopian Time and the content editor at Contemporary Haibun Online. He lives in Saudi Arabia.

One Man's Maple Moon: Squeak Tanka by Bob Lucky

English Original

squatting
to tighten the bike tire
the squeak
in my knees
louder every year

Bright Stars, 1, 2014

Bob Lucky


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

我蹲下來
鎖緊自行車的輪胎
膝蓋骨
所發出吱吱聲
一年比一年更響

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

我蹲下来
锁紧自行车的轮胎
膝盖骨
所发出吱吱声
一年比一年更响


Bio Sketch

Bob Lucky is the author of the chapbook Ethiopian Time and the content editor at Contemporary Haibun Online. He lives in Saudi Arabia.

Butterfly Dream: Parting Words Haiku by Bob Lucky

English Original

retracing my steps
the bread crumbs
of her parting words     

Frogpond, 37:3, Autumn 2014

Bob Lucky


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

回顧我走過的路
在她離別話語中
瑣碎的言詞

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

回顾我走过的路
在她离别话语中
琐碎的言词


Bio Sketch

Bob Lucky is the author of the chapbook Ethiopian Time and the content editor at Contemporary Haibun Online. He lives in Saudi Arabia.

Butterfly Dream: Weeds Haiku by Bob Lucky

English Original

another beheading ...
I let the weeds
run wild

Presence, 51, Jan. 2015

Bob Lucky


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

另一條斬首新聞 ...
我讓雜草
四處叢生

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

另一条斩首新闻 ...
我让杂草
四处丛生


Bio Sketch

Bob Lucky is the author of the chapbook Ethiopian Time and the content editor at Contemporary Haibun Online. He lives in Saudi Arabia.

One Man's Maple Moon: Gust of Wind Tanka by Bob Lucky

English Original

a gust of wind
and all the leaves but one
flutter to the ground --
and then and then and
then until the end                    

Ribbons, 9:3, Winter 2014

Bob Lucky


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

一陣大風
除了一片葉子，所有葉子
都被搖落到地面 --
然後 然後 然後
直到一切都停止

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

一阵大风
除了一片叶子，所有叶子
都被摇落到地面 --
然後 然後 然後
直到一切都停止


Bio Sketch

Bob Lucky is the author of the chapbook Ethiopian Time and the content editor at Contemporary Haibun Online. He lives in Saudi Arabia.

Butterfly Dream: Supper Haiku by Bob Lucky

English Original

supper for one
a bare branch taps
at the window

Cattails, April 2014

Bob Lucky


Chinese Translation (Traditional)
  
一人用晚餐
一棵光禿樹枝
輕敲窗戶 

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

一人用晚餐
一棵光秃树枝
轻敲窗户


Bio Sketch

Bob Lucky is the author of the chapbook Ethiopian Time and the content editor at Contemporary Haibun Online. He lives in Saudi Arabia.

One Man's Maple Moon: Cat Feet Tanka by Bob Lucky

English Original

the fog doesn't
come on little cat feet,
Mr Sandburg;
it shuffles in the wake
of the minimum-waged                             

A Hundred Gourds, 5:1, December 2015

Bob Lucky


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

霧並沒有像小貓般
悄悄地到來，
桑德堡先生;
它在最低工資者身後
拖曳而行

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

雾并没有像小猫般
悄悄地到来，
桑德堡先生;
它在最低工资者身後
拖曳而行


Bio Sketch

Bob Lucky is the author of the chapbook Ethiopian Time and the content editor at Contemporary Haibun Online. He lives in Saudi Arabia.

Butterfly Dream: Spring Thaw Haiku by Bob Lucky

English Original

spring thaw
my wife undresses
with the lights on            

Asahi Haikuist Network, 6 March 2015

Bob Lucky


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

春天融雪
我太太脫衣服時
開著燈

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

春天融雪
我太太脱衣服时
开著灯


Bio Sketch

Bob Lucky is the author of the chapbook Ethiopian Time and the content editor at Contemporary Haibun Online. He lives in Saudi Arabia.

Butterfly Dream: Fading Light Haiku by Bob Lucky

English Original

fading light
dad tells the only story
he remembers  

                                             

Modern Haiku, 41.2, Summer 2010

Bob Lucky 


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

天色漸晚
爸爸訴說唯一
記得的故事

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

天色渐晚
爸爸诉说唯一
记得的故事


Bio Sketch

Bob Lucky teaches at the International Community School of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. His work has appeared in numerous journals, including Rattle, The Prose-Poem Project, Emerald Bolts, Modern Haiku, Presence, Ribbons, Eucalypt, and Atlas Poetica. He is co-author of the chapbook my favorite thing. 

Butterfly Dream: New Moon Haiku by Bob Lucky

English Original

new moon
the missing button
on her blouse                                   

Presence, 38, 2009

Bob Lucky


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

新月
她的上衣缺少
一個鈕扣

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

新月
她的上衣缺少
一个钮扣


Bio Sketch

Bob Lucky teaches at the International Community School of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. His work has appeared in numerous journals, including Rattle, The Prose-Poem Project, Emerald Bolts, Modern Haiku, Presence, Ribbons, Eucalypt, and Atlas Poetica. He is co-author of the chapbook my favorite thing. 

Butterfly Dream: Heat Wave Haiku by Bob Lucky

English Original

heat wave
the mailman fans himself
with my bills                                               

The Heron’s Nest, 9:3, September 2007

Bob Lucky


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

熱浪
郵差用我的賬單
扇涼

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

热浪
邮差用我的账单
扇凉


Bio Sketch

Bob Lucky teaches at the International Community School of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. His work has appeared in numerous journals, including Rattle, The Prose-Poem Project, Emerald Bolts, Modern Haiku, Presence, Ribbons, Eucalypt, and Atlas Poetica. He is co-author of the chapbook my favorite thing. 

One Man's Maple Moon: Journey Tanka by Bob Lucky

English Original

after the journey
there’s always the laundry --
the rattle
of a foreign coin
in the tumble dryer                                   

Ribbons, 5.3, Fall 2009, Tanka Café

Bob Lucky


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

旅遊結束後
總有一堆衣物待洗 --
一個外國硬幣
在滾筒式乾衣機裡面
發出嘎嘎聲

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

旅游结束后
总有一堆衣物待洗
一个外国硬币
在滚筒式干衣机里面
发出嘎嘎声


Bio sketch

Bob Lucky teaches at the International Community School of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. His work has appeared in numerous journals, including Rattle, The Prose-Poem Project, Emerald Bolts, Modern Haiku, Presence, Ribbons, Eucalypt, and Atlas Poetica. He is co-author of the chapbook my favorite thing.