Posts Tagged ‘tradition’

GOLD ON A BUDDHA – 湘莲子

2月 20, 2016

Xiang Lianzi

Xiang Lianzi
HOW TO STICK GOLD ON A BUDDHA IN THAILAND

Dodging the rain to get into the temple,
an attendant hands me a small piece of
gold foil.
I think this is like in the shopping centres;
they hand you a discount sticker at the entrance,
so I stick the gold foil next to my heart.

“You cannot stick gold on yourself!”

I am reminded,
you have to stick gold on the Buddha.
Wherever something is wrong,
where you don’t feel well,
you put the gold on that part of the Buddha,
and pray for protection.

So I take the foil from my chest
to rub it on him at the same spot.

1/24/16
Tr. MW, Feb. 2016

Xiang Lianzi stick gold foil on buddha

MALAYSIANS SHOOT UP THEIR WIVES – 白立

2月 19, 2016

Bai LI

Bai Li
MALAYSIANS CAN SHOOT UP THEIR WIVES

On the battlements of Malacca,
our guide told me (she is Malaysian of Chinese extraction)
there is a provision in their constitution:
Malaysian Muslims can have four wives
and screw them at once any way they please.
But Chinese can’t do that,
she said with a smirk.

But then Chinese men must use their cannons,
I told her at once.

January 2016
Tr. MW, Febr. 2016

Bai Li Malaysians can shoot up their wives

南行记: FROM SOUTHERN CHINA THROUGH SOUTHEAST ASIA 

2月 18, 2016

南行记: FROM SOUTHERN CHINA THROUGH SOUTHEAST ASIA

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THE MOON IS FASTER THAN OTHER PEOPLE

people are slow here
says our guide
you have to get used to them
then it’s dark in a jump
and the moon climbs very fast
to her highest position
guess she is happy
to serve Chinese tour groups
so these few years
she runs faster and faster

January 2016

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SLEEPING PALACE

actually the palace is very still
tourists stream in and out
serious people stay in their pictures
the palace is sleeping
in history

Bangkok, January 2016

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IN THE EMPORIUM OF PRECIOUS STONES

In the emporium of precious stones
there is a smoking room,
looks a bit like a prison.
Men who need separation
quietly gather,
with their heavy hearts
just for a short spell;
then go on buying things.

January 2016

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TRANSVESTITES IN THAILAND

“Some are half-demon,
half-demon, half human.”
I am sure our guide is a man.
He is open-minded, just like his country.
“We in China this, China that …”
I wish his China was a real country.

MW January 2016

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VACATION

Let us go diving into the deep.
Last year in August
someone in Tianjin
said one thousand people had died.
He was put in jail.
Let us go diving.
Elections this year in Taiwan,
first female president.
Let’s go now, let’s go.
These few days
someone gave an interview
voice of freedom or something.
Said the city he lived in
was not free,
autonomous region was not autonomous.
Let us go diving now.
He got fourteen years.
He wasn’t the first.
Let’s go now, go.
There’ll be other things
planned for the afternoon.

January 2016

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SHE HAS TO BE PERFECT

In Singapore
we have a new guide.
Her name means “swallow”.
She explains about their laws.
Sounds a bit like Thailand
talks about Buddhism.

“You have to be careful,
you can’t just sit down anywhere.”

We get in very late
but we still call a reading.
Across the street from the hotel
you can sit outside,
you can even smoke.
Long as you don’t toss the butt.
When you order a beer,
one bottle per person may be too much.

Where is the moon?
In Singapore
she obeys the law to the letter,
otherwise they beat her behind.
She steps out of the clouds
in her most perfect poise.

January 2016

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POETRY READING IS GOOD

Poetry Reading’s good,
Poetry Reading’s good.
In our New Poetry Canon, people’s dignity is high.
System clique’s in the dregs,
state-sanctioned writers scurry with their tails between their legs!

January 2016 (to the tune of Socialism Is Good)

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MOSQUE & CASINO

Mosque and casino
both have Adam and Eve.
The casino in Singapore
at the Botanical Garden
greets you with Dali and with Botero.
Botero’s sculptures Adam and Eve
at the gate of the casino.
What would the artist think of this sight?
Art is a rather ambivalent thing.
Poetry makes you a better person?
The mosque in Malaysia’s government district
is a sight to behold.
I am folding my hands.
An old lady asks me if I am a Muslim.
I just bow and keep silent,
so she lets me go in
and helps me taking pictures.
She sees I don’t know how to pray
so she gives me a folder and tries to explain.
There’ll be prayer time in forty minutes.
Men at the bottom, women up there.
She hopes I can make it.
The folder says
Adam and Eve were also Muslims.
Adam was the first Prophet.
The Mosque has Quran editions in English.
I flip through a section.
Allah bestows many signs on mankind.
Sleep is also a sign,
along with creation
and languages and different colours.
We haven’t had enough sleep on this trip.
Soaring up with my eyes,
I think being a Muslim is good.
I know why it’s forbidden to make any idols.
Half an hour later we are drinking beer.
I am still a believer
in beauty in art.
Poetry and art are signs of Allah.

January 2016

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HEROES’ MONUMENT OF MALAYSIA

Was it a glorious thing when they died?
Did they go to war
for peace and freedom?
In World War I
In World War II
In civil war
they hardly had any choice.
In 1966
Malaysia’s prime minister had them erected
a park of monuments.
They already had one from World War I.
With names from Europe, also from India.
Probably officers.
To make this park for all those who died,
all those who gave their lives in the wars.
In 1966.
I was born in that year.
Maybe this monument
was a good idea.

January 2016

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COMING BACK FROM ABROAD, LADEN WITH TREASURE

Coming back from abroad, laden with treasure.
Thanks everybody!
Thanks to Rong Bin,
to Niu Yihe, to 3A.
Thank you, Li Zhenyu.
You said my diarrhoea
was as fast as my poetry.
Thank you, Benben.
You made me eat Durian.
Thank you, Jun Er.
You bought me beer.
Thank you, Xiang Lianzi,
you offered me coffee.
Let’s all thank Jiang Tao
helping us to get back on the bus.
Thank you, Gao Ge
you helped me smuggle pillows.
Thank you, An Qi,
you helped me buy a mattress.
Thank you, Ru Ye,
we slept in one bed,
you recited erotic poetry for me.
Thank you, Xing Hao.
You sang praise to my body hair.
Thanks everyone for beautiful poetry.
Let’s say thanks to our guides,
A Fu and A Ping, Ms. Yan, Ms. Chen –
and on our last day
Mr. Chen, who had studied in Canada.
They taught us how to speak,
how to say thank you.
Kap kun ka – your credit card is empty.
Dai ni ma kan xi – take your mom to a theatre.
Our guides taught us history
and facts about Chinese minorities.
The Chinese platoon #93
in the Golden Triangle.
The Singapore Church of The Law.
Their story of independence.
The state of Malaysia,
elections and tribes.
Thank you, Yi Sha!
We had so many readings.
We broke every record.
We come back from the south,
laden with treasure.

January 2016

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《南行記》

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《月亮比别人快》

泰国月亮比别人快
导游说
这里人比较慢
你们要习惯
可天一下子就黑了。
月亮很快
爬得最高的位置。
我看月亮很积极
迎接中国的游客。
这几年大概
越来越快了。

2016. 1. 20

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《皇宫睡覺》

泰國皇宫其實很安静。
游客游來游去。
遗像的人物
都比較嚴肅。
皇宫睡覺
在歷史裏。

2016.1.21

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《寶石店吸煙室》

寶石店吸煙室
像臨時監獄。
需要隔開的男人
懷著沉重的氣氛
都自愿地集合。
關起來幾分鐘
然後繼續購物。

2016.1.22

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《泰国人妖》

“有的是半妖,
半人半妖。”
我们华裔导游
肯定全是人。
而且思想开放,
就像他的国家。
“我们中国
怎么样怎么样…”
但愿中国
真是他的国家。

2016.1.22

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《度假》

我们去潜水吧
去年八月份
有人说天津
死了一千
被关起来。
我们去潜水吧。
今年台灣选举
第一位女总统。
去吧, 去吧。
这几天
有人接受访问
自由之声
说他所在的城市
不自由
自治区不自治。
我们去潜水吧。
他被判十四年。
也不是第一人。
去吧, 去吧。
等到下午
还有别的项目。

2016.1.23

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《不敢不完美》

到了新加坡
燕子导游解释
最严格的法律
听来崇拜法规
像泰国拜佛。

到了旅馆很晚。
还是開詩會。
过马路坐外面
可以抽烟。
只要烟蒂不扔。
点啤酒不能
一人一次一瓶那么多。

月亮在哪儿
在新加坡
月亮遵守严厉法律
否则打她的后面
月亮出彩云
就剛恰当。

2016.1.25

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《詩會主義》

詩會主义好,
詩會主义好。
我们的新詩典人民地位高。
体制派被打倒,
作家协会夹着尾巴逃跑了。

2016.1.26

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《赌场跟清真寺》

赌场跟清真寺有什么关系?
都有亚当和夏娃。
新加坡植物园赌场
有西班牙、哥伦比亚
艺术家 DALI, BOTERO
的作品。
BOTERO 的雕塑亚当和夏娃
放在赌场门前
艺术家自己会怎么想?
艺术是很暧昧的东西。
诗歌让你做更好的人吗?
马来西亚行政中心大清真寺
非常壮观
老年纪女人让我进去做礼拜
問我是穆斯林吗
我沉默不否认
可以随便进去
也可以照相。
她看出来我不知道怎么祈祷
就給我指示, 还解释很多。
不到一个小时有礼拜的时间。
男士下面, 女士在上。
欢迎我参加。
她給我的手册裏寫着
亚当和夏娃是穆斯林。
亚当就是第一位先知。
清真寺裏有古兰经
英语版读一片段
上帝安拉給人类的指示。
睡觉也是安拉的指示,
像创造世界所有的现象
包括不同的肤色和语言。
这几天我们都睡觉太少。
站在让你眼睛翱翔的大厅
我愿意做穆斯林
并明白為什麽禁止做偶像。
半个小时以后我们喝啤酒。
我这个虔诚的穆斯林
崇拜艺术的美丽。
美丽就是安拉的指示。

2016.1.28 凌晨3:27

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《马来西亚英雄纪念碑》

他死得很光荣吗?
他去打仗都是
為自由、 和平?
第一次世界大战
第二次世界大战
还有内战
他反正都是无奈的。
一九六六年
马来西亚首相让他们做
综合的纪念碑公园。
一战的碑已经有,
上面的名字都來自欧洲和印度。
給所有去打仗献出生命的同胞们
立纪念雕塑、 修一场公园
在我出生的一九六六年
也许好主义。

2016.1.28

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《從東南亞满载而歸》

从东南亚满载而归
谢谢大家
谢谢荣斌
牛依河、三个A
谢谢李振羽
说我寫詩跟拉稀一样快
谢谢笨笨
給我吃榴莲
谢谢君儿
給我买啤酒
谢谢湘莲子
催我喝咖啡
谢谢蒋涛
催大家上车
谢谢高歌
替我走私枕头
谢谢安琪
替我买床垫
谢谢如也
跟我过夜
读色情诗歌
谢谢邢昊
赞颂我的毛
等等
谢谢很多人寫我
谢谢导游
阿福阿平燕子小陈
还有最后一天
从加拿大留学回来的马来西亚导游
导游们教我们
怎么说谢谢
卡空卡
带你妈看戏
教我们
他们国家当代历史
和华人情况
金三角93军队
芭提雅人妖
新加坡崇拜法规
含泪宣布独立
马来西亚民族和选举
谢谢伊沙
到处開詩會
肯定破了记录
我们大家
满载而归

2016.1.29

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QINGHAI POETRY FESTIVAL 2015

8月 11, 2015

《走向世界》

青海国际诗歌节
已经买了
向世界开放的
门票
诗人们可以
统统离开
走向世界

2015.8.11

Ich Shigejie

《梦见马非当警察》

梦见马非当警察
因为在公共场所念诗歌
把我和伊沙跟一批外国诗人
统统带到警察局
进去伊沙
展示记者证
没多少用处
我们在走廊等了很久
一直到黑夜
虽然做诗歌朋友
马非不能放我们
好像不行

2015.8.10

Yi Sha mit Ma Fei

《青海湖沙丘》

安静下来
可以安静下来
沙丘它每天
都安静下来
游客们来了
游客能玩
沙丘它可以
安静下来

2015.8.8

Hou Ma Shigejie

《美国革命诗人》

“中国革命是二十世纪
最伟大的革命!”
我们生活在
二十一世纪。
这位美国诗人
还喜欢生活
在上世纪六十年代。
不知道他是否读过
上世纪初写的AQ。

2015.8.9

Meiguoren1

《坐飞机》

水不像水
白云军队
白云的阴影
好像不走
陆地上也有
白云更密
就只有云
坐飞机为特权
虽然现在很多人坐飞机
坐飞机等于你有足够的钱
或你足够重要
坐飞机快
但飞机上时间多半是你的
可以看白云
可以看电影
可以聊天、睡觉
也可以写诗
当然如果每天坐飞机
就不同。
白云不同吗?
影子不同吗?
至少聊天、写诗
大概不同。

2015.8.4.

Lake rainbow

《詩人》

诗人
比较像孩子
失去了某种
大人的成分
所以叫诗人。

2015.8.4.

Yi Sha with Goethe and rainbow

LIKE A BELL I SIT IN CHANG-AN: Yi Sha

10月 23, 2014

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Yi Sha
Song dynasty lyrics: Qing Ping Yue
for Martin

Frost state has no temples,
but there are times to see each other.
In my country, small people keep chirping.
Beyond the skies I am finding my friends,
red maple leaves on the trails in green hills,
streams keep on flowing.
Two people born in the year of the horse:
We raise our heads, go like the wind.

Written 10/16/14 at Vermont Studio Center
Tr. MW, Oct. 2014

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Yi Sha
SONG OF VERMONT
(Tang dynasty style)

Green peaks raise blue skies,
clear brooks meet in ponds.
Maples reflected –
is this the real world?
Wang Wei walked here
to his Journey’s End.
Frost stopped in woods,
we have miles to go.
I am just a guest,
with geese flying south.
Red leaves send us off,
snowflakes greeting spring.

Written 10/16/14 at Vermont Studio Center
Tr. MW, Oct. 2014

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Yi Sha
RED LEAVES (Tang dynasty quatrain)

Have met frost, heart’s still warm.
So in this fall I meet red leaves.
Should we cover all the roads?
Like a bell I sit in Chang-An*.

Written 10/15/14 at Vermont Studio Center
Tr. MW, Oct. 2014
*Chang-An: Today called Xi’an, capital of China through 13 dynasties. Yi Sha’s home town.

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VIOLIN VS CELLO – 尚飞鹏 Shang Feipeng

10月 14, 2014

Shang Feipeng Violin and Cello

Shang Feipeng
VIOLIN VS CELLO

moon festival poetry recital
approaching
liaison tells me:
“when you bring your violin
maybe you could play a more joyful tune?
every time you play for us
you make us so sad.
it’s like you’re pulling those strings on a cello.”
I didn’t reply
I was thinking
my violin is an urn
my cello would be a coffin

(made up on mid-autumn moon festival day 2014 at the Xi’an Chang’an Poetry Festival recital)

Tr. MW, Oct. 2014

GEIGE UND CELLO

最後的咖啡館 Das Kaffeehaus am Ende der Welt

12月 21, 2012

Chen Kohua Apokalypse Kaffeehaus cn1

再说中国新诗 300 首 (中英对照) 300 Modern and Contemporary Chinese Poems (Chinese-English)

11月 15, 2012

再说中国新诗 300 首 (中英对照)
Lucas Klein, translator of Xi Chuan 西川, has commented on 野鬼’s new anthology of 300 Modern and Contemporary Chinese Poems (Chinese-English) 中国新诗 300 首 (中英对照). Lucas Klein’s blog is called Notes on the Mosquito, like his new Xi Chuan translations compilation. Notes on the Mosquito as a title reminds me of Bei Dao’s 北岛 Harvest 收获, don’t know if that is intended.

There is Zhang Xinying’s 张新颖 fine anthology 中國新詩 from 2000 (in Chinese), incl. 2 interesting poems by Zhou Zuoren 周作人. Zhang has close to 100 poets and up to 10 poems from each of them. If you cover the last 30 or 40 years, it would have to be rather thick to include at least ten or twenty examples each from 食指、芒克、多多、楊煉、于堅、韓東、西川、伊沙等等,to mention only a few older living males.

My favorite contemporary anthology is 黃梁’s 大陸先鋒詩叢. 10 volumes came out in 1998/1999 – Bai Hua 柏华、Zhu Wen 朱文、Meng Lang 孟浪 etc. 等等. Another 10 came out in 2009, incl. Tibet’s poetess and dissident blogger Woeser 唯色, migrant worker poetess Zheng Xiaoqiong 郑小琼(鄭小瓊), and a few more not-so-well-known poets like Pang Pei 庞培(born 1962).

The new 300-poems-anthology is Chinese-English, but it seems the English versions will all be done by Chinese translators. Some translators could be native speakers of English, and/or writing poetry in English. But it does look like an inner-Chinese project, so to speak. The Chinese Issue of The Drunken Boat from 2006 provides a very broad spectrum in the categories minorities, gender and localities in Asia and beyond. Xi Chuan is prominently featured. The 2008 China issue of The Atlantic Review also has an interesting mixture and beautiful poems, incl. Xi Chuan. But these two anthologies are all in English. In my earlier blog post on this topic of anthologies I have written about the advantages of starting from women writers and minorities. That was in Chinese, sorry.

Huang Liang is operating in Taiwan, but he still had some trouble with Mainland authorities about meeting and publishing Woeser 唯色. The 300 modern poems anthology includes the blind folk singer Zhou Yunpeng 周云蓬, who is also in the 10/19/12 New Statesman issue curated by Ai Weiwei, along with Zuoxiao Zuzhou 左小祖咒. On the other hand, compiler Diablo 野鬼 (Zhao Siyun 赵思云 is not the editor) told me they could never include Li Qin’an’s 李勤安 When Martial Law Was Lifted 解嚴以後, because with books you have to worry much more about (self-)censorship than online. I think When Martial Law Was Lifted 解嚴以後 is a landmark poem in any sense. I like Xi Chuan’s poetry very much, but on the whole now and then it needs to be complemented with something more explicitly political. Actually you could say the same about Hsia Yu 夏宇, maybe. Anyway, Li Qin’an 李勤安 still sounds relevant in Taiwan today, according to some of my friends there. On the Mainland, the role(s) of poetry are more acutely questioned, also by Zhao Siyun 赵思云 and Diablo 野鬼 (Zhang Zhi 张智), for example. See Diablo 野鬼’s “非诗” and Zhao Siyun’s Lili’s Story 丽丽传.