Butterfly Dream: Swan Haiku by Lesley Anne Swanson

English Original

just one swan
returns this year
... ripples on the pond

Wild Plum, Winter 2017

Lesley Anne Swanson


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

今年只有
一隻天鵝返回
... 池塘上的漣漪

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

今年只有
一只天鹅返回
... 池塘上的涟漪


Bio Sketch

Lesley Anne Swanson has lived in Northern California, the Southwest, and the Pacific Northwest, but now calls Pennsylvania home.  Always a wordsmith, she discovered tanka in 2011 and has been enthralled ever since.

One Man's Maple Moon: History Book Tanka by Lesley Anne Swanson

English Original

overdue fines
for a history book
the biography
of a tyrant
written in today’s headlines

Lesley Anne Swanson


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

支付一本歷史書
的逾期罰款
一位暴君
的個人傳記
以今日頭條新聞的形式出現

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

支付一本历史书
的逾期罚款
一位暴君
的个人传记
以今日头条新闻的形式出现 


Bio Sketch

Lesley Anne Swanson has lived in Northern California, the Southwest, and the Pacific Northwest, but now calls Pennsylvania home.  Always a wordsmith, she discovered tanka in 2011 and has been enthralled ever since.

One Man's Maple Moon: Dragon’s Eye Tanka by Lesley Anne Swanson

English Original

dawn
hovers on the horizon
blood red
the dragon’s eye
blinks open

Ribbons, 8:1,  2012

Lesley Anne Swanson


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

黎明
浮現在地平線上
一條龍
血紅的眼睛
眨眼後張開

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

黎明
浮现在地平线上
一条龙
血红的眼睛
眨眼后张开


Bio Sketch

Lesley Anne Swanson has lived in Northern California, the Southwest, and the Pacific Northwest, but now calls Pennsylvania home.  Always a wordsmith, she discovered tanka in 2011 and has been enthralled ever since.

One Man's Maple Moon: Silence and the Night Tanka by Lesley Anne Swanson

English Original

rushrush
out the door and off you go
a quick hug
before the slow embrace
of silence and the night

Third Place, 2016 Haiku Poets of Northern California International Competiton

 Lesley Anne Swanson


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

衝到門口
你匆忙地出門
在沉默和夜晚
的緩慢擁抱之前
你很快地緊抱我一下子

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

衝到门口
你匆忙地出门
在沉默和夜晚
的缓慢拥抱之前
你很快地紧抱我一下子


Bio Sketch

Lesley Anne Swanson has lived in Northern California, the Southwest, and the Pacific Northwest, but now calls Pennsylvania home.  Always a wordsmith, she discovered tanka in 2011 and has been enthralled ever since.

One Man's Maple Moon: New Life Tanka by Lesley Anne Swanson

English Original

gold coins
sewn in her worn coat
the child
no one notices
bound for a new life

A Hundred Gourds, 1:3, June 2012

Lesley Anne Swanson


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

一些金幣
縫入她磨損的外套內
這個孩子
沒有人注意
開始新的生活

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

一些金币
缝入她磨损的外套内
这个孩子
没有人注意
开始新的生活


Bio Sketch

Lesley Anne Swanson has lived in Northern California, the Southwest, and the Pacific Northwest, but now calls Pennsylvania home.  Always a wordsmith, she discovered tanka in 2011 and has been enthralled ever since.

One Man's Maple Moon: To Do List Tanka by Lesley Anne Swanson

English Original

her to do list
so much longer than mine --
here I sit
biting an apple
down to the core

American Tanka, 25, 2015

Lesley Anne Swanson


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

她的待做之事名單
比我的還長 --
呆坐這裡
我一口就咬到
蘋果的核心

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

她的待做之事名单
比我的还长 -
呆坐这里
我一口就咬到
苹果的核心


Bio Sketch

Lesley Anne Swanson has lived in Northern California, the Southwest, and the Pacific Northwest, but now calls Pennsylvania home.  Always a wordsmith, she discovered tanka in 2011 and has been enthralled ever since.

One Man's Maple Moon: Two Sides Tanka by Lesley Anne Swanson

for my daughter from China and all Asian immigrants

English Original

green tea
black coffee
the two
sides of me
but just one cup

Gusts, 17, Spring/Summer 2013

Lesley Anne Swanson


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

綠茶
和黑咖啡
文化認同的雙面性
但是我只有
一個杯子

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

绿茶
和黑咖啡
文化认同的双面性
但是我只有
一个杯子


Bio Sketch

Lesley Anne Swanson has lived in Northern California, the Southwest, and the Pacific Northwest, but now calls Pennsylvania home.  Always a wordsmith, she discovered tanka in 2011 and has been enthralled ever since. 

Butterfly Dream: Pink Hair Haiku by Lesley Anne Swanson

English Original

that girl with the pink hair
flirting again --
cherry blossoms

Runner-Up, 2015 Haiku Calendar Competition

Lesley Anne Swanson


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

那個粉紅色的頭髮女孩
再一次調情 --
櫻花盛開

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

那个粉红色的头髮女孩
再一次调情 --
樱花盛开 


Bio Sketch

Lesley Anne Swanson has lived in Northern California, the Southwest, and the Pacific Northwest, but now calls Pennsylvania home.  Always a wordsmith, she discovered tanka in 2011 and has been enthralled ever since. 

Butterfly Dream: Old Tune Haiku by Lesley Anne Swanson

English Original

that old tune …
knots in my shoelace
coming loose

Third Place, 2015 Spiess Memorial Haiku Competition

Lesley Anne Swanson


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

那個老曲調 ...
我的蝴蝶結鞋帶
變鬆了

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

那个老曲调 ...
我的蝴蝶结鞋带
变松了 


Bio Sketch

Lesley Anne Swanson has lived in Northern California, the Southwest, and the Pacific Northwest, but now calls Pennsylvania home.  Always a wordsmith, she discovered tanka in 2011 and has been enthralled ever since. 

Butterfly Dream: Sweetgrass Haiku by Lesley Anne Swanson

English Original

barefoot afternoon
my feet sharing the sweetgrass
with a hill of ants

Cattails, April 2014

Lesley Anne Swanson


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

赤腳的清涼下午
我的雙腳與像小山丘的一群螞蟻
共享香草

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

赤脚的清凉下午
我的双脚与像小山丘的一群蚂蚁
共享香草


Bio Sketch

Lesley Anne Swanson has lived in Northern California, the Southwest, and the Pacific Northwest, but now calls Pennsylvania home.  Always a wordsmith, she discovered tanka in 2011 and has been enthralled ever since. 

One Man's Maple Moon: Sea Star Tanka by Lesley Anne Swanson

English Original

astride
a fault line in the bay
a sea star
one small splice
in this fractured world

Certificate of Merit, 7th International Tanka Festival Competition

Lesley Anne Swanson


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

橫跨
海灣的斷層線
一隻海星
在這個斷裂的世界
作為一個小的接合物

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

横跨
海湾的断层线
一只海星
在这个断裂的世界
作为一个小的接合物


Bio Sketch

Lesley Anne Swanson has lived in Northern California, the Southwest, and the Pacific Northwest, but now calls Pennsylvania home.  Always a wordsmith, she discovered tanka in 2011 and has been enthralled ever since. 

One Man's Maple Moon: Perforations Tanka by Lesley Anne Swanson

English Original

perforations
along this notebook page
almost invisible
the tiny separations
that ease the final parting

First Place, 2014 TSA International Tanka Contest

Lesley Anne Swanson


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

這筆記頁面
小得幾乎看不見
的側邊穿孔
這些微小的分隔
舒解了臨別的悲痛

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

这笔记页面
小得几乎看不见
的侧边穿孔
这些微小的分隔
舒解了临别的悲痛


Bio Sketch

Lesley Anne Swanson has lived in Northern California, the Southwest, and the Pacific Northwest, but now calls Pennsylvania home.  Always a wordsmith, she discovered tanka in 2011 and has been enthralled ever since. 

One Man's Maple Moon: Moon's Smile Tanka by Lesley Anne Swanson

English Original

the moon’s
thin smile as I begin
to write
grows wider
when I mention you

Honorable Mention,  2012 TSA International Tanka Contest
Lesley Anne Swanson

Chinese Translation (Traditional)

當我開始書寫時
月亮展現淺淺的微笑
當我提到你時
它逐漸變成
笑臉盈盈

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

当我开始书写时
月亮展现浅浅的微笑
当我提到你时
它逐渐变成
笑脸盈盈


Bio Sketch

Lesley Anne Swanson has lived in Northern California, the Southwest, and the Pacific Northwest, but now calls Pennsylvania home.  Always a wordsmith, she discovered tanka in 2011 and has been enthralled ever since.