Xiaoqiong
GRASS-MUD-HORSE
They say, cursing isn’t right;
if you curse other people you have no breeding, no education.
I am fearful,
have to be very careful
to be a tasteful woman
in front of their eyes.
But today I decide
to break this commandment.
Today
I have to shout dirty words.
Zhang Liumao, born in Canton
on June 20, 1972,
detained on August 15, 2015
for “inciting trouble with words”.
On November 4 at three in the morning,
his family received a notice
from Canton #3 Detention Center,
to collect the ashes of Zhang Liumao.
When I heard this
I was taking a stroll
in a beautiful village.
It looked like a painting.
And I went spitting into the daisies:
Fuck you, fuck you ten thousand times!
Fuck your goddamn mother!
Then
I cleared my throat
and walked forth with great strides.
11/4/15
Tr. MW, Nov. 5, 2015
