Sunday, August 20, 2017

One Man's Maple Moon: Blues Master Tanka by David Bachelor

English Original

a blues master
sings the only song
he ever recorded --
I slide my poem
into an envelope

Eucalypt, 2008

David Bachelor


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

藍調大師
吟唱他唯一錄製
的歌曲 --
將我的詩放入
信封內

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

蓝调大师
吟唱他唯一录製
的歌曲 --
将我的诗放入
信封内


Bio Sketch

Poetry has provided a purpose and voice to this retired teacher. David Bachelor taught in a college of education for years. Now he spends his time trying to see life anew.

1 comment:

  1. The contrast between the two parts (a masterpiece of music vs a piece of writing) of this middle-of-the-story tanka is thought-provoking and the ending is layered with multiple meanings.

    David's tanka reminds me of the following remarks by two of my favorite masters:

    No masterpiece was ever created by a lazy artist.
    -- Salvador Dali

    I write one page of masterpiece to ninety-one pages of shit. I try to put the shit in the wastebasket.

    ―- Ernest Hemingway


    ReplyDelete