The Longbow Papers

I have been a published writer since I was 19--it was only a small chapbook of radical, youthful poetry now happily lost to posterity; I didn't really become a pro until my early thirties. I have had a few successes and zero complaints; both of my dreams since baby-hood came true: To write and publish books and to play ball for as long as I could. However, other than articles written about me in foreign publications--particularly in Italy, my ancestral home--none of my writing has been translated and published in a foreign language.

Dear readers--and that is not a cliche, each of you special few hundreds are ever so valuable to me--the statement above is no longer true. An expat friend of mine, who wishes anonymity at present, very recently translated into Chinese the poem PLEASE, which is down the scroll-bar a bit, and sent it to me. I was honored beyond adequate expression.

It is above. Please understand he is not a scholar in Chinese; he is just a very bright (and colorful man) teaching himself to write and speak in a language other than his own, Chinese, perhaps the most difficult language for native English language speakers to learn. That is why he has asked for anonymity; he does not relish being too harshly corrected, by name, by those lucky billions fluent in Mandarin.

I have great interest in the subject of poetic translation from Chinese into English, and English into Chinese. Because of my interest in classical Chinese literature, particularly the Tang poets, I have come to some small understanding of how great a difference there is from one translation to another; it is, in truth, a creative art in itself.

So, please, all of you whom have expertise in this field, speak up in the comment box, perhaps we can all learn something. But do not be mistaken, it is pure vanity that compels me to publish the piece in Chinese; fortunately, the academic half of my persona gives me the credibility to at least suggest a more noble reason to see my thoughts and emotions--these are pretty stark and raw--expressed in Chinese.

However, I truly do want interaction on this: Oh students dear of mine, past and present, I know you are busy, but chime in, please.

 

7:35 PM / Editor / permalink    9 comments

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9 Comments:

You've been in China how long? And you still can't understand the language?

By  Anonymous, at 12:11 PM  

A rude and cowardly question from one so insecure he can't even name himself.

But I do not run and hide from even rude questions. I have been in China 4 years come this August, and no I cannot read Chinese.

Have a good day,

Joseph Bosco

By  Joseph, at 12:22 PM  

By the way, you self-important piece of Siberian sheep dung, return and stand your ground, please. Identify yourself, in Mandarin, if you can. Believe me; I will know what it says.

But you won't, will you? This is only one of the reasons people such as you give foreigners such a bad rep in China. Hit and runners every one.

May your life be long; your shame all the greater.

Joseph Augustus Bosco

By  Joseph, at 8:46 PM  

To: The anonymous poster

You Sir,
Your comments were unseemly, and in my opinion, disrespectful.

I, for one, do not appreciate the flavor, nor the connotations of your remarks. Do you mean to say that by virtue of being in China for 4 years it is a requirement to learn the Chinese language

Perhaps you misunderstand why Joseph Bosco is here? He is not here to study the Chinese language. That is to say, he was not invited here as a student, but as a teacher.
Having said that, I believe that Joseph studies, in a single week, learns more about Chinese Culture than you have of Western Culture in your lifetime.
Having said that, I realize I have wasted my time.
I have fogotten the cardinal rule set down by the literary character Johnathon Swift:" Don't set your wit against a child"

Farewell,

The Admial

By  The Admiral, at 12:15 AM  

Dear Mr Bosco,

To quote and use a line in PLEASE,'Would you forgive'that rude anonymous poster?

He/she is simply ignorant.


Brenda

By  Anonymous, at 7:33 PM  

Dear Brenda,

How nice to hear from you! I hope all is well. In truth, I should forgive him/her, but it isn't easy! : )

Thanks for your support, as always, it means a lot to me.

Sincerely,

Joseph

By  Joseph, at 12:09 PM  

Admiral,

Thank you for your spirited support. You are a man I would gladly go to war with, in either a foxhole or your ship, fine sir.

Give 'em hell and keep fighting the good fight.

All the very best,

Joseph

By  Joseph, at 12:13 PM  

Yes, an excellent idea: stay in China and do not study Chinese. Then let your friends defend you.

By  Anonymous, at 3:17 PM  

To Another Anonymous Fool,

Don't you fools ever get tired of making fools of yourself? I guess not, since there can be no discomfort involved without appending a name to one's foolishness.

Brenda is the English name of a very bright and talented former Chinese student of mine doing her graduate work in Australia. She has just written a native Chinese translation of the poem that will be up soon.

By the way, what ever gave you the idea I am not trying to learn Chinese? I freely admit that it is slow going since not only do I lack a facility for languages in general, Chinese is particularly difficult for me due to some ear damage I received working in the engine room of an oil rig in the Gulf off Texas in 1967 (hearing and repeating tones, I am referring to), long before OSHA required protective ear-plugs for such work. I'm not sure there was an OSHA lo those many years ago.

I also teach a full load here at the university and write fulltime as well; so I cannot take any of the regular courses (speaking it, reading it--I have taken a course on writing it, calligraphy, total failure, but it was a lot of fun), which require 4 periods a morning five days a week. Plus, all of the Chinese people in my life--which is just about everybody in my life, I don't hang around with ex-pats--do not want me wasting their time learning Chinese. They want to practice their English with me!

I really do not know why I also waste my time answering comments from folks such as your self. But, please, perhaps it won't be a waste this time, I must ask a question: Why do you--or folks like you--roam around the Internet being nasty to people you've never met and know nothing about?

Truly, I do not understand it. I have never gone to a website or blog, with which I have no prior connection, and left a snide or unfriendly comment. Forget also doing it anonymously, which absolutely blows my mind! My creative ego is such, and writing requires so much work, I cannot imagine doing any of it without attaching my name.

If you want me not to call you a fool, something I would never do if I knew you, whether we agreed on anything or not, then please explain this syndrome to me. I am quite serious.

Regards,

Joseph Bosco

P.S.: The "Admiral" defends whom he chooses, not the other way around.

By  Joseph, at 9:00 PM  

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