Poetic Musings: Blessing of a Death Tanka by Marianne Paul

in the garden

the dwindling petals

of the daffodil

the blessing of a death

from natural causes 

Dance into the World, 2020                                               

Marianne Paul

Commentary: The image of Ls 1-3 is visually and emotionally poignant while the tonal shift in the dialectical statement of Ls 4&5 sparks the reader's emotions and reflection on life and (good) death. Paul's tanka doesn't mention of the pandemic. Even so, the attentive reader can get a hint from this dialectical irony of Ls 4&5 (in the time of Covid19): to see blessing in a death from natural causes, which means  being allowed to die surrounded by family and friends.

Butterfly Dream: Shad-Fly Haiku by Marianne Paul

English Original

ascension
sunlight through the wings
of the shad-fly

tinywords, Fall 2016

Marianne Paul


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

展翅上升
一道陽光穿透鰣魚
的翅膀

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

展翅上升
一道阳光穿透鲥鱼
的翅膀


Bio Sketch

Marianne Paul is a Canadian novelist and poet who now focuses on short-form poetry, primarily haiku, senryu, tanka, haiga and haibun. She was the winner of the inaugural Jane Reichhold Memorial Haiga Competition, multi-media category. Besides writing, Marianne's other passions are kayaking and trail walking. Read more at www.literarykayak.com.

Butterfly Dream: Black Ice Haiku by Marianne Paul

English Original

black ice
taking the ghosts home
with me

A Hundred Gourds, 5:2, March 2016

Marianne Paul


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

道路上一層薄冰
我帶著一群鬼魂
回家

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

道路上一层薄冰
我带着一群鬼魂
回家 


Bio Sketch

Marianne Paul is a Canadian novelist and poet who now focuses on short-form poetry, primarily haiku, senryu, tanka, haiga and haibun. She was the winner of the inaugural Jane Reichhold Memorial Haiga Competition, multi-media category. Besides writing, Marianne's other passions are kayaking and trail walking. Read more at www.literarykayak.com.

One Man's Maple Moon: Strangers Tanka by Marianne Paul

English Original

moving
from a small town
to the city
learning to pass strangers
without saying hello
     
Neon Graffiti: Tanka of Urban Life, 2016

Marianne Paul


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

從一個小鎮
遷移
到一個城市
學習與陌生人擦身而過
不需要打招呼

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

从一个小镇
迁移
到一个城市
学习与陌生人擦身而过
不需要打招呼


Bio Sketch

Marianne Paul is a Canadian novelist and poet who now focuses on short-form poetry, primarily haiku, senryu, tanka, haiga and haibun. She was the winner of the inaugural Jane Reichhold Memorial Haiga Competition, multi-media category. Besides writing, Marianne's other passions are kayaking and trail walking. Read more at www.literarykayak.com.

Butterfly Dream: Woodpecker Haiku by Marianne Paul

English Original

now and again
around the trunk a flash
of woodpecker

cattails, May 2016

Marianne Paul


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

一次又一次
在樹幹附近一隻啄木鳥
一剎那閃現

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

一次又一次
在树干附近一只啄木鸟
一刹那闪现


Bio Sketch

Marianne Paul is a Canadian novelist and poet who now focuses on short-form poetry, primarily haiku, senryu, tanka, haiga and haibun. She was the winner of the inaugural Jane Reichhold Memorial Haiga Competition, multi-media category. Besides writing, Marianne's other passions are kayaking and trail walking. Read more at www.literarykayak.com.

Butterfly Dream: Wild Life Haiku by Marianne Paul

English Original 

this wild life
the touch of rain
on my face

Marianne Paul


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

這種野外生活
一滴一滴雨觸碰
我的臉龐

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

这种野外生活
一滴一滴雨触碰
我的脸庞

Bio Sketch

Marianne Paul is a Canadian novelist and poet who now focuses on short-form poetry, primarily haiku, senryu, tanka, haiga and haibun. She was the winner of the inaugural Jane Reichhold Memorial Haiga Competition, multi-media category. Besides writing, Marianne's other passions are kayaking and trail walking. Read more at www.literarykayak.com.

One Man's Maple Moon: Yoyo Tanka by Marianne Paul

English Original

the jerk
of the up-pull
on the yoyo
again and again
you change your mind
     
Ripples in the Sand: 2016 TSA Members’ Anthology

Marianne Paul


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

向上拉升
悠悠球
所產生的抽動
你一次又一次
改變了心意
   
Chinese Translation (Simplified)

向上拉升
悠悠球
所产生的抽动
你一次又一次
改变了心意

Bio Sketch

Marianne Paul is a Canadian novelist and poet who now focuses on short-form poetry, primarily haiku, senryu, tanka, haiga and haibun. She was the winner of the inaugural Jane Reichhold Memorial Haiga Competition, multi-media category. Besides writing, Marianne's other passions are kayaking and trail walking. Read more at www.literarykayak.com.

Butterfly Dream: Cherry Pits Haiku by Marianne Paul

English Original

bowl of cherry pits
my grandson tries to guess
my age

First Place, Canada Category, 2016 Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival

Marianne Paul


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

一碗櫻桃核
我的孫子試圖猜測
我的年齡

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

一碗樱桃核
我的孙子试图猜测
我的年龄


Bio Sketch

Marianne Paul is a Canadian novelist and poet who now focuses on short-form poetry, primarily haiku, senryu, tanka, haiga and haibun. She was the winner of the inaugural Jane Reichhold Memorial Haiga Competition, multi-media category. Besides writing, Marianne's other passions are kayaking and trail walking. Read more at www.literarykayak.com

One Man's Maple Moon: Temari Tanka by Marianne Paul

English Original

temari
from the silk scraps
of the kimono --
my mother-in-law stitches
family history into her quilt
 
Cattails, May 2014

Marianne Paul


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

由和服
的零頭絲料
織成的手毬 --
我的婆婆將家族史
織入她的被套

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

由和服
的零头丝料
织成的手毬 --
我的婆婆将家族史
织入她的被套


Bio Sketch

Marianne Paul is a Canadian novelist and poet with a keen interest in Japanese-form minimalist poetry. Her haiku have been published in A Hundred Gourds, The Heron's Nest, Acorn, Modern Haiku, Gems, cattails, Bones, and Frozen Butterfly. She was a contributor to the Spring/Summer 2014 publishing cycle on Daily Haiku. You can learn more about her work at www.literarykayak.com

Butterfly Dream: Acid Rain Haiku by Marianne Paul

English Original

(r)egret along the riverbank acid rain

Marianne Paul


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

(後悔)白鷺沿著河岸酸雨 

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

(后悔)白鹭沿着河岸酸雨


Bio Sketch

Marianne Paul is a Canadian novelist and poet with a keen interest in Japanese-form minimalist poetry. Her haiku have been published in A Hundred Gourds, The Heron's Nest, Acorn, Modern Haiku, Gems, cattails, Bones, and Frozen Butterfly. She was a contributor to the Spring/Summer 2014 publishing cycle on Daily Haiku. You can learn more about her work at www.literarykayak.com

One Man's Maple Moon: Hunter's Moon Tanka by Marianne Paul

English Original

waking up
to a hunter's moon
over the prairie
for the first time seeing life
through my father's eyes
 
Skylark, 2:1, Summer 2014

Marianne Paul


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

醒來
看到草原上空
的獵人月亮
這是我第一次
通過父親的眼睛觀看生活

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

醒来
看到草原上空
的猎人月亮
这是我第一次
通过父亲的眼睛观看生活


Bio Sketch

Marianne Paul is a Canadian novelist and poet with a keen interest in Japanese-form minimalist poetry. Her haiku have been published in A Hundred Gourds, The Heron's Nest, Acorn, Modern Haiku, Gems, cattails, Bones, and Frozen Butterfly. She was a contributor to the Spring/Summer 2014 publishing cycle on Daily Haiku. You can learn more about her work at www.literarykayak.com

Butterfly Dream: Oyster Shell Haiku by Marianne Paul

English Original

inside the oyster shell dawn
   
Frozen Butterfly, 1, 2014

Marianne Paul


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

牡蠣殼內的黎明

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

牡蛎壳内的黎明


Bio Sketch

Marianne Paul is a Canadian novelist and poet with a keen interest in Japanese-form minimalist poetry. Her haiku have been published in A Hundred Gourds, The Heron's Nest, Acorn, Modern Haiku, Gems, cattails, Bones, and Frozen Butterfly. She was a contributor to the Spring/Summer 2014 publishing cycle on Daily Haiku. You can learn more about her work at www.literarykayak.com

Butterfly Dream: Winter Leaf Haiku by Marianne Paul

English Original

winter leaf --
how she cups the pills
in her hand
  
Acorn, 33, Fall 2014

Marianne Paul


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

冬葉 --
她用手托住藥丸
的樣子

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

冬叶 --
她用手托住药丸
的样子


Bio Sketch

Marianne Paul is a Canadian novelist and poet with a keen interest in Japanese-form minimalist poetry. Her haiku have been published in A Hundred Gourds, The Heron's Nest, Acorn, Modern Haiku, Gems, cattails, Bones, and Frozen Butterfly. She was a contributor to the Spring/Summer 2014 publishing cycle on Daily Haiku. You can learn more about her work at www.literarykayak.com

One Man's Maple Moon: Stories Tanka by Marianne Paul

English Original

there are stories
a mother shouldn't tell
her daughter --
that cloudless summer day
when you told me

All The Shells: Tanka Society of America Members' Anthology 2014

Marianne Paul


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

有些故事
作母親的不應該告訴
她的女兒 --
當你告訴我時
那是萬里無雲的夏日

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

有些故事
作母亲的不应该告诉
她的女儿 --
当你告诉我时
那是万里无云的夏日


Bio Sketch

Marianne Paul is a Canadian novelist and poet with a keen interest in Japanese-form minimalist poetry. Her haiku have been published in A Hundred Gourds, The Heron's Nest, Acorn, Modern Haiku, Gems, cattails, Bones, and Frozen Butterfly. She was a contributor to the Spring/Summer 2014 publishing cycle on Daily Haiku. You can learn more about her work at www.literarykayak.com

Butterfly Dream: Life and Death Haiku by Marianne Paul

English Original

falling snow --
the line between life
and death

Marianne Paul


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

飄落雪花
在生死一線
之間

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

飘落雪花
在生死一线
之间


Bio Sketch

Marianne Paul is a Canadian novelist and poet with a keen interest in Japanese-form minimalist poetry. Her haiku have been published in A Hundred Gourds, The Heron's Nest, Acorn, Modern Haiku, Gems, cattails, Bones, and Frozen Butterfly. She was a contributor to the Spring/Summer 2014 publishing cycle on Daily Haiku. You can learn more about her work at www.literarykayak.com