Butterfly Dream: Stubble Haiku by Winona Baker

English Original

in the stubble

a ball of blue wool

unwinds in the wind

An Invisible Accordion, 1995

Winona Baker 

Chinese Translation (Traditional)

在茬地裡

一團藍色的羊毛

在風中舒展開來

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

在茬地里

一团蓝色的羊毛

在风中舒展开来

Bio Sketch

Winona Baker was born in March 18, 1924 and moved to British Columbia, Canada in 1930. Living in Nanaimo, she raised four children with her husban. A haiku specialist, she received the top global prize in the 1989 World Haiku Contest in honour of Matsuo Basho’s 300th anniversary. She published Moss-Hung Trees. The title came from her prize-winning haiku. Her work had been translated into Japanese, French, Greek, Croatian, Romanian, and Yugoslavian.  She passed away in Nanaimo on October 23, 2020.

Butterfly Dream: Skeleton Haiku by Winona Baker

English Original

orthopedic clinic --

the skeleton watches

leaves fall

Nature Here is Half Japanese, 2010

Winona Baker 

Chinese Translation (Traditional)

骨科診所 --

一個人體骷髏模型觀看

樹葉飄落

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

骨科诊所 --

一个人体骷髅模型观看

树叶飘落

Bio Sketch

Winona Baker was born in March 18, 1924 and moved to British Columbia, Canada in 1930. Living in Nanaimo, she raised four children with her husban. A haiku specialist, she received the top global prize in the 1989 World Haiku Contest in honour of Matsuo Basho’s 300th anniversary. She published Moss-Hung Trees. The title came from her prize-winning haiku. Her work had been translated into Japanese, French, Greek, Croatian, Romanian, and Yugoslavian.  She passed away in Nanaimo on October 23, 2020.

Butterfly Dream: Darkness Haiku by Winona Baker

English Original

driving at night

our headlights part the darkness

not the falling snow

Those Women Writing Haiku, 1986

Winona Baker 

Chinese Translation (Traditional)

夜間駕駛

我們的車頭燈能夠隔開黑暗

而不是飄落的雪

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

夜间驾驶

我们的车头灯能够隔开黑暗

而不是飘落的雪

Bio Sketch

Winona Baker was born in March 18, 1924 and moved to British Columbia, Canada in 1930. Living in Nanaimo, she raised four children with her husban. A haiku specialist, she received the top global prize in the 1989 World Haiku Contest in honour of Matsuo Basho’s 300th anniversary. She published Moss-Hung Trees. The title came from her prize-winning haiku. Her work had been translated into Japanese, French, Greek, Croatian, Romanian, and Yugoslavian.  She passed away in Nanaimo on October 23, 2020.

Butterfly Dream: Election Rally Haiku by Winona Baker

English Original

election rally

purple loosestrife spreads

along the river

An Invisible Accordion, 1995

Winona Baker 

Chinese Translation (Traditional)

選舉集會

紫色珍珠菜沿著河岸

蔓延開來

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

选举集会

紫色珍珠菜沿着河岸

蔓延开来

Bio Sketch

Winona Baker was born in March 18, 1924 and moved to British Columbia, Canada in 1930. Living in Nanaimo, she raised four children with her husban. A haiku specialist, she received the top global prize in the 1989 World Haiku Contest in honour of Matsuo Basho’s 300th anniversary. She published Moss-Hung Trees. The title came from her prize-winning haiku. Her work had been translated into Japanese, French, Greek, Croatian, Romanian, and Yugoslavian.  She passed away in Nanaimo on October 23, 2020.

Butterfly Dream: Self Examination Haiku by Winona Baker

English Original

breast self examination

a moth batters

the screened window

Those Women Writing Haiku, 1986

Winona Baker 

Chinese Translation (Traditional)

乳房自我檢查

一隻飛蛾不停地

撞擊紗窗

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

乳房自我检查

一只飞蛾不停地

撞击纱窗

Bio Sketch

Winona Baker was born in March 18, 1924 and moved to British Columbia, Canada in 1930. Living in Nanaimo, she raised four children with her husban. A haiku specialist, she received the top global prize in the 1989 World Haiku Contest in honour of Matsuo Basho’s 300th anniversary. She published Moss-Hung Trees. The title came from her prize-winning haiku. Her work had been translated into Japanese, French, Greek, Croatian, Romanian, and Yugoslavian.  She passed away in Nanaimo on October 23, 2020.

Butterfly Dream: Fallen Totem Pole Haiku by Winona Baker

English Original

snowflakes fill

the eye of the eagle

fallen totem pole

Moss-Hung Trees, 1992

Winona Baker 

Chinese Translation (Traditional)

雪花填滿

一隻鷹的眼睛

倒下的圖騰柱

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

雪花填满

一只鹰的眼睛

倒下的图腾柱

Bio Sketch

Winona Baker was born in March 18, 1924 and moved to British Columbia, Canada in 1930. Living in Nanaimo, she raised four children with her husban. A haiku specialist, she received the top global prize in the 1989 World Haiku Contest in honour of Matsuo Basho’s 300th anniversary. She published Moss-Hung Trees. The title came from her prize-winning haiku. Her work had been translated into Japanese, French, Greek, Croatian, Romanian, and Yugoslavian.  She passed away in Nanaimo on October 23, 2020.

Butterfly Dream: Hunter's Silence Haiku by Winona Baker

English Original

moss-hung trees

a deer moves into

the hunter's silence

Moss-Hung Trees, 1992

Winona Baker 

Chinese Translation (Traditional)

長滿青苔的樹

一隻鹿進入獵人射擊之前

的死寂

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

长满青苔的树

一只鹿进入猎人射击之前

的死寂

Bio Sketch

Winona Baker was born in March 18, 1924 and moved to British Columbia, Canada in 1930. Living in Nanaimo, she raised four children with her husban. A haiku specialist, she received the top global prize in the 1989 World Haiku Contest in honour of Matsuo Basho’s 300th anniversary. She published Moss-Hung Trees. The title came from her prize-winning haiku. Her work had been translated into Japanese, French, Greek, Croatian, Romanian, and Yugoslavian.  She passed away in Nanaimo on October 23, 2020.

Poetic Musings: Hunter's Silence Haiku by Winona Baker

moss-hung trees

a deer moves into

the hunter's silence

Moss-Hung Trees, 1992

Winona Baker 

Commentary: L1, "moss-hung" trees, depicts and accentuates the stillness of a forest scene while L3 shows that the hunter holds his breath, waiting for the right moment to shoot. Only the deer in L2 takes a few steps forward. This image of "killing silence" brings up the questions about hunter and hunted/predator and prey, stillness and movement, life and death, for the reader to ponder.