Poetic Musings: Motorcycle Riders Tanka by David McMurray

Locking the cottage

the motorcycle riders

kick-start a trip down south

po-potato-potato

po-potato-potato

NeverEnding Story, June 24, 2025

David McMurray

Commentary: Ls 1-3 set the theme and mood while the use of both repetition and a self-coined term, "po-potato-potato," in Ls 4&5 effectively creates an onomatopoeic effect, greatly enhancing the audio-emotional aspect of the tanka. 

Consisting of a sequence of actions, this tanka reads like a poetic rendering of an establishing shot of a road movie, and subtly conveys the emotional nuances of both farewell, L1 and setting off, Ls 2-5. 

One Man's Maple Moon: Motorcycle Riders Tanka by David McMurray

English Original

Locking the cottage

the motorcycle riders

kick-start a trip down south

po-potato-potato

po-potato-potato

David McMurray 

Chinese Translation (Traditional)

鎖上度假小屋

一群摩托車騎士們

開啟南下之旅

撲通撲通撲通的引擎聲

撲通撲通撲通的引擎聲

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

锁上度假小屋

一群摩托车骑士们

开启南下之旅

扑通扑通扑通的引擎声

扑通扑通扑通的引擎声

Bio Sketch

David McMurray edits the Asahi Haikuist Network. He lives in Japan, but travels 3 or 4 times a year to Taiwan to enjoying the food and festivals -- including the moon festival -- in Taipei and Kaoshiung.

Butterfly Dream: Blind Masseuse's Hands Haiku by David McMurray

English Original

blind masseuse’s hands

how the valley curves

at the rising moon

David McMurray 

Chinese Translation (Traditional)

盲女按摩师的雙手

山谷在初升月亮之處

蜿蜒而行

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

盲女按摩师的双手

山谷在初升月亮之处

蜿蜒而行

Bio Sketch

David McMurray edits the Asahi Haikuist Network. He lives in Japan, but travels 3 or 4 times a year to Taiwan to enjoying the food and festivals -- including the moon festival -- in Taipei and Kaoshiung.

Butterfly Dream: Sepia Photos Haiku by David McMurray

English Original

sepia photos
faces we once knew
flowers with no names

Honorable Mention, 2017 HIA Haiku Contest

David McMurray


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

棕褐色的照片
我們曾經熟悉的面孔
以及無名鮮花

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

棕褐色的照片
我们曾经熟悉的面孔
以及无名鲜花


Bio Sketch

David McMurray edits the Asahi Haikuist column in the Asahi shimbun. He winters in a cottage on Maple Lake, Ontario. By the time the ice breaks up he'll have composed a bundle of haiku on postcard-sized sheets of birchbark to take back to Kagoshima, Japan to share with colleagues and students.

Butterfly Dream: Evening Sun Haiku by David McMurray

English Original

evening sun
its green shine
enters the sea

David McMurray 


Chinese Translation (Traditional)
   
夕陽
它的綠色光芒
映照大海

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

夕阳
它的绿色光芒
映照大海


Bio Sketch

David McMurray enjoys the beat of Sum 41, a group that started out in Ajax, Ontario, as a punk rock band a generation ago. Their old album All Killer No Filler" is still popular in Japan. SUM 41 from Ajax made this a summer in Tokyo to remember for David.  http://www.asahi.com/ajw/

Butterfly Dream: Motorbike Rider Haiku by David McMurray

English Original

motorbike rider
po-potato-potato
kick-starts summer

David McMurray


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

摩托車騎士
撲通撲通撲通聲
啟動夏天之旅

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

摩托車騎士
撲通撲通撲通聲
啟動夏天之旅


Bio Sketch

David McMurray enjoys the beat of Sum 41, a group that started out in Ajax, Ontario, as a punk rock band a generation ago. Their old album All Killer No Filler" is still popular in Japan. SUM 41 from Ajax made this a summer in Tokyo to remember for David.  http://www.asahi.com/ajw/

Butterfly Dream: Fifth Spring Haiku by David McMurray

English Original

Our fifth spring
again in my dream
the sapling maple

Canada Project Collected Essays & Poems, 8, 2013

David McMurray


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

我們的第五個春天
又出現在我的夢中
幼小修長的楓樹

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

我们的第五个春天
又出现在我的梦中
幼小修长的枫树


Bio Sketch

David McMurray, professor of haiku in the graduate school at The International University of Kagoshima in Japan, editor of the Asahi Haikuist Network since 1995, and winner of The R.H. Blyth Award 2013.

Butterfly Dream: Pressed Butterfly Haiku by David McMurray

English Original

Turning to the page
where mother had left behind
pressed butterfly

David McMurray


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

翻到母親上次
所閱讀的那一頁
壓扁的蝴蝶

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

翻到母亲上次
所阅读的那一页
压扁的蝴蝶


Bio Sketch

David McMurray, professor of haiku in the graduate school at The International University of Kagoshima in Japan, editor of the Asahi Haikuist Network since 1995, and winner of The R.H. Blyth Award 2013.

Butterfly Dream: Summerwood Haiku by David McMurray

English Original

New surname
carved deeply into
summerwood

Haiku Canada Members' Anthology 2012

David McMurray


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

新姓氏
深深地刻入
夏木內部
   
Chinese Translation (Simplified)

新姓氏
深深地刻入
夏木内部


Bio Sketch

David McMurray, professor of haiku in the graduate school at The International University of Kagoshima in Japan, editor of the Asahi Haikuist Network since 1995, and winner of The R.H. Blyth Award 2013.