Translations forthcoming in Axolotl
The literary magazine Axolotl will be publishing my translations of four Nahuatl poems in their upcoming issue.
Category: Translations
“Moon” by Saiba
Saiba was a Zen Buddhist monk who wrote this jisei or death haiku as he sensed his end approach in the fall of 1858. He finally died on the night of the harvest moon. So I’ll just scoot my pillow closer to the full autumn moon. —Translated by David Bowles,…
“The Scarecrow” by Bonchō
Nozawa Bonchō was born in the city of Kanazawa in Japan’s Ishikawa Prefecture. Though he worked most of his life as a doctor in Kyoto, Bonchō never made much money. He became one of Matsuo Bashō’s foremost disciples, which saved him when he was convicted of smuggling: due to his…
“Behind the Falls” by Matsuo Bashō
On May 20, 1689, a few weeks before the beginning of the three-month time of seclusion Buddhist monks were required to observe each summer, the Japanese poet Bashō climbed into the mountains to visit Urami Falls. Passing behind the cascade, he tarried a while in a cave, looking out at the world…
“A Child Has Died” by Matsuo Bashō
Japanese poet Bashō composed the following haiku in 1666, apparently after visiting the home of a couple whose young child had died. The sight of their despair reminded him of the nō play Take no Yuki (“Snow on Bamboo”) by the playwright Zeami Motokiyo, in which a young boy dies…
“Autumn Wind” by Matsuo Bashō
Japanese poet Bashō composed the following haiku in the fall of 1666. An autumn wind blows through the doorway’s yawning maw— cold and cutting voice. —Translated by David Bowles, March 2015
“Split Melon” by Bashō
Japanese poet Bashō gave the following haiku to Emoto Tōko, a young merchant who wanted to become the master’s student. Don’t just mirror me as if we were both two halves of the same melon. —Translated by David Bowles, March 2015
Where All Debts Are Paid
Where All Debts Are Paid (originally published in the Fall 2014 edition of Huizache) 1 The Dilemma What passions roil within me Whenever I recite, my friends! I drag my heart round And round this earth, Sketching with words Every stopping place.
Rattle #47
Rattle 47 is out. This edition of the journals features a tribute to Asian poetical forms, including my translation from the Japanese of three pieces by Karai Senryū as well as haiku by Billy Collins and a wealth of verse from many others, from Debra Kang Dean to Mariko Kitakubo. Especially wonderful…
Translations in Somos en escrito
The on-line magazine Somos en escrito has published three translations of mine from Classical Nahuatl into English and Spanish. You can read them now by heading over to that website.
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“Moon” by Saiba
Saiba was a Zen Buddhist monk who wrote this jisei or death haiku as he sensed his end approach in the fall of 1858. He finally died on the night of the harvest moon. So I’ll just scoot my pillow closer to the full autumn moon. —Translated by David Bowles,…
“The Scarecrow” by Bonchō
Nozawa Bonchō was born in the city of Kanazawa in Japan’s Ishikawa Prefecture. Though he worked most of his life as a doctor in Kyoto, Bonchō never made much money. He became one of Matsuo Bashō’s foremost disciples, which saved him when he was convicted of smuggling: due to his…
“Behind the Falls” by Matsuo Bashō
On May 20, 1689, a few weeks before the beginning of the three-month time of seclusion Buddhist monks were required to observe each summer, the Japanese poet Bashō climbed into the mountains to visit Urami Falls. Passing behind the cascade, he tarried a while in a cave, looking out at the world…
“A Child Has Died” by Matsuo Bashō
Japanese poet Bashō composed the following haiku in 1666, apparently after visiting the home of a couple whose young child had died. The sight of their despair reminded him of the nō play Take no Yuki (“Snow on Bamboo”) by the playwright Zeami Motokiyo, in which a young boy dies…
“Autumn Wind” by Matsuo Bashō
Japanese poet Bashō composed the following haiku in the fall of 1666. An autumn wind blows through the doorway’s yawning maw— cold and cutting voice. —Translated by David Bowles, March 2015
“Split Melon” by Bashō
Japanese poet Bashō gave the following haiku to Emoto Tōko, a young merchant who wanted to become the master’s student. Don’t just mirror me as if we were both two halves of the same melon. —Translated by David Bowles, March 2015
Where All Debts Are Paid
Where All Debts Are Paid (originally published in the Fall 2014 edition of Huizache) 1 The Dilemma What passions roil within me Whenever I recite, my friends! I drag my heart round And round this earth, Sketching with words Every stopping place.
Rattle #47
Rattle 47 is out. This edition of the journals features a tribute to Asian poetical forms, including my translation from the Japanese of three pieces by Karai Senryū as well as haiku by Billy Collins and a wealth of verse from many others, from Debra Kang Dean to Mariko Kitakubo. Especially wonderful…
Translations in Somos en escrito
The on-line magazine Somos en escrito has published three translations of mine from Classical Nahuatl into English and Spanish. You can read them now by heading over to that website.