Monday, July 13, 2015

pronouns - In poetry, what can I use to refer to someone without gender?

I am translating a poem from Korean. The poet is deliberately avoiding a gender reference (or, deeming it unnecessary) by using a neutral impersonal pronoun. In Korean there are generally few inbuilt gender markers; you have to put them in deliberately. The poet here does not specify. The context seems to refer to a woman, because as far as I know he speaks of his wife, but judging from the language I thought he meant for this poem to appeal to anyone in any relationship - be that friendship, romantic, hetero or homo-sexual etc. There is also a contrast between the impersonal pronoun in the beginning and a switch to a personal pronoun in the end when he refers to his companion. I want to preserve that too.



So how can I refer to this person?
"They" is just aesthetically displeasing to me for some reason, and may even confuse someone into thinking the poet is actually referring to a plural number of people rather than one. I tried it, and I can see how it could make it confusing.
"He or she" is even worse, it sounds a document, and is very clumsy to fit into poetic structure.
I don't want to use 'you' because the poet is using an impersonal pronoun, and I'm sure he has a reason.
Is there any other way?



Here is a draft of my translation using 'they' as an interim. It is a beautiful poem.
The title is 'Flower'.




Before I called their name



They were but a gesture, no more.



Yet when I called their name



They came to me



And became my flower.




Now I call out



To anyone out there



Of colour, and scent akin to mine:



Please, call my name.



I want to be called,




By such a kindred spirit



And to come to them.



To become their flower.



We all of us want



To become something.




You to me, and I to you



Want to become



Just one meaning



To never be forgotten.

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