Haiku by Chen-ou Liu in Canada (1)

 On September 9, 2010,  I received an e-mail from Chen-ou Liu.

Dear Mr. Hidenori Hiruta

I came across your website while looking for the haiku written in different languages.  I was amazed by your efforts in spreading a love for Japanese short form poetry.  I wish you success in all your endeavors.
And I would like to submit the following poems for your consideration for publication on the Akita International HST Network. I shall be pleased if you translate some that appeal you much.
Warm Regards
Chen-ou Liu

 

First of all, I would like to refer to a brief bio of Chen-ou Liu:
Chen-ou Liu was born in Taiwan and emigrated to Canada in 2002. He lives in Ajax, a suburb of Toronto, where he has been struggling with a life in transition and translation.

Chen-ou is a contributing writer for Rust+Moth and Haijinx. His poetry has been published and anthologized worldwide. His tanka have been honored with awards, including the Saigyo Awards for Tanka 2009 (honorable mention) and the 2009 San Francisco International Haiku, Senryu, Tanka, and Rengay Competition (tanka third place).

For more information about Chen-ou’s writing career, please read An Interview with Chen-ou Liu by Robert D. Wilson

 (accessed at http://simplyhaiku.wordpress.com/2010/06/18/interview-with-chen/).

 And read more of his poetry at his website,

 Poetry in the Moment (http://chenouliu.blogspot.com/).

All the best,
Chen-ou Liu

 

Next I present some of his haiku with my Japanese translations.

 

blue moon…
the shadow walks
with me

青い月私と共に影歩く

 

with my black eyes
I hear snowflake murmur
to snowflake

黒痣の目で聞く雪片のつぶやきを

 

over the attic
where the boy lives
kites still fly 

屋根裏に住む男の子凧揚げる

 

snow moon…
around the foreclosed house
a dog wanders

冬の月差し押さえの家犬歩く

 

the eagle
flaps its caged wings
summer scent

囚われの鷲羽ばたくや夏の香

 

whirling snowflakes…
in a butterfly’s dream
one hundred years

雪の渦蝶の夢には百年も  

 

crescent moon
the purple middle
of an iris

新月やアイリスの紫の芯

 

first quarter moon
He Said, She Said
on the stereo

最初の上弦の月男女が話すステレオで

 

spring stars blinking
city lights stay on…
Earth Hour

春星明滅町の光も地の時間

 

Valentine’s Day
opening up for everyone
a bit of me

バレンタインデー皆のために私にも少し

 

east wind
from the Pacific
my feet itchy

太平洋から東風足がかゆい

 

M, poet
seeking partner

…
winter moon

月の連れ詩人の求む冬の月

 

the master warns
keep your concentration
fluorescent lights hum

主の注意

集中を保てハミングする蛍光

 

autumn dawn…
remnants of that dream
lingers

秋の夜明け夢の残りが長らえり

 

clear spring sky…
I am seeing into
yesterday 

春の空昨日を見ている我が身かな

gazing at
a bright rectangle of sky…
poetry class 

長方形の空見つめたり詩のクラス

 

the shape
of the world the girl lives in…
hospital window

少女の住む世界病院の窓から

 

night deepens…
nothing left between
the blue moon and me

夜が更けて青い月と我の間に何もなし

 

autumn gusts

Jesus and Buddha sit

beside me 

秋の突風イエスと仏陀が我のそば

 

I sincerely hope that you will be absorbed in haiku world of Chen–ou Liu.

The next posting ‘Haiku by Wahyu W. Basjir in Indonesia (1) ’  appears on October 2.

―　Hidenori  Hiruta