Karen An-hwei Lee

Phoenix Hairpin Terrace

Yes                              Feng-huang plus three syllables

. . . Terrace phoenix hairpin

No                                 A phoenix flew on the terrace

. . . A phoenix hairpin lies on a terrace

No                                 A hairpin in the shape of a phoenix

. . . In the shape of a hairpin terrace

No                                A hairpin drawn from a phoenix

 . . . A terrace on a phoenix hairpin

No                                Hairpin phoenix terrace

Yes                              The original eludes a translator

Author: Karen An-hwei Lee

Karen An-hwei Lee is the author of three poetry collections, most recently, Phyla of Joy (Tupelo 2012).  Her first book, In Medias Res (Sarabande 2004), received the Norma Farber First Book Award from the Poetry Society of America.  She lives and teaches in greater Los Angeles.

Plume: Issue #25 July 2013