I touch your hair long, Searching your eyes, so distant. Rain dew on a rose.
Read MorePablo Neruda’s “Full woman, carnal apple, hot moon”
I love the vivid imagery in this poem and how he is representing the whole process of making love with imagery, from the first attraction to the final explosion. My Translation Full woman, carnal apple, hot moon, Thick smell of seaweed, mud and light entwined. …
Read MoreChallenge round: tackling Du Fu’s “Looking to Spring”
Okay boys and girls, let’s go for the challenge round and see if we can tackle a classical Chinese poem from the Tang Dynasty. This one is by Du Fu and is called “Looking to Spring.” Du Fu, a government official, wrote it while being …
Read MoreOn Waking
Caramel flavor, Clouds rise in the morning sky: Scent of espresso.
Read MoreBasho’s poetic philosophy #1
From Basho: My Translation From the pine, Learn the pine, From bamboo, Learn bamboo. Original 松の事は松に習へ、竹の事は竹に習へ Pronunciation Matsu no koto wa Matsu ni narae, Take no koto wa Take ni narae! Literal translation About a pine, Learn the pine, About a bamboo, Learn the …
Read MoreThomas Hardy’s “The Ruined Maid”
This poem tells a story of two maids who meet up later in life, one who was “virtuous” and one who was “ruined” by apparently running off to town with a man. The irony is that the “virtuous” maid remained poor and had to work …
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