Saturday, October 8, 2016

One Man's Maple Moon: Stillness Tanka by James Chessing

English Original

the stillness inside
the stillness of snow
falling on snow
nothing left to try
but the letting go                              

Member's Choice Tanka, Ribbons, 7:4, 2011

James Chessing


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

內心的寂靜
雪花飄落
的寂靜
除了放手不管
沒有任何方法可嘗試

   
Chinese Translation (Simplified)

内心的寂静
雪花飘落
的寂静
除了放手不管
没有任何方法可尝试


Bio Sketch

James Chessing's profession is clinical psychology.  He is in his fifth decade writing haiku, and he published his first tanka in 2006.  His poems have appeared in many of the leading journals and anthologies, and he had the good fortune to place first in the 2010 Tanka Society of America Contest. 

1 comment:

  1. James skillfully uses the thematically and emotionally resonant juxtaposition of the stillness inside and the stillness of falling snow to paint the picture of a person dispirited by repeated unsuccessful efforts.

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