Xu Jiang
STANDING IN LINE
Born in the 1960s
we all have this experience
waiting in a long line
at the grain store in autumn
with buckets and baskets
to be able to buy sweet potatoes
sold according to population.
Two or three columns in a long line
almost every column
will have a classmate of yours
but while you’re waiting in line
some people won’t talk anymore
they just stand there in silence
as if they had never known you.
Tr. MW, September 2016
Zuo You
I AM SORRY
Because of a trifle
I got mad at my dad
“Why did you take my ID without telling me?
Get someone to bring it back to Xi’an!
This has gone on for two weeks!
I need it for daily business, travel, taking the bus.
You know things costs much more without it.”
After a week
my father wrote back
“We were worried about you crossing the street.
I took your ID,
for a navigation instrument from the Handicapped Federation
I stood in line for many days.
Now I have got it.”
“Son, I am sorry!
Wanted to give you a surprise.”
Tr. MW, Sept. 2016
Yao Feng
KOLLEGE
ein gedicht
hält keinen panzer auf
aber ein panzerfahrer
schreibt vielleicht ein gedicht
er springt aus seinem eisenhaufen
sitzt unter bäumen
versinkt in gedanken
schreibt solche sätze:
frühling ist noch nicht da
ein paar vögel
landen auf einer grünen kanone
und zwitschern
Übersetzt von MW am 31. März 2016
Yao Feng
COMRADE
poetry
won’t stop a tank
but could make a poet
out of the driver
he jumps from his heap of iron
sits down under a tree
gets lost in thought
writes down such lines:
spring has not yet arrived
a few birds
land on a green cannon
twittering
Tr. MW, March 2016
