Departure From Spring

Departure From Spring

May 6, 2016

Until the last apple petal shriveled
I just found 
my favorite spring
has gone away quietly / without a farewell.
The variegated sunlight bickering through 
the denser shade of trees 
is burning my sensitive eyes and 
bewildered heart as well.

Let me flutter my wings of butterfly
to fly back to the dreamlike times!
Let me grow into a high pear blossom tree
and dance in a gust of wind
with sleeves waving between heaven and earth 
like snow;
or be the cherry blossoms drifting profusely
whose fragrant soul with a pink train
overwhelm the lawn,
overwhelm the lake,
overwhelm all the meandering and sentimental memories.

Let me land in a night with the full moon.
Let me stand into a slender white cornel
with the water-like moonlight over me and
make a wish devoutly,
which is as cool as the night dew；
or melt into the amaranthine afterglow  
which is overcastting the sky in a drunk dusk
with the crape myrtles all over the hills together
then fall into 
a tipsy and gooey dream together.

Let me garland the sun-like primroses
then run and shout in a gale with my feet bare 
to pursue the resource of the light!
Let me comb my long hair into 
the fine and delicate willow branches
then strike each chord in the throbbing heart in a breeze;
or be an illusory almond blossom tree or magnolia 
in the misty rain,
so my distant homestead in my hand 
can overlap the familiar tendernesss so closely.

Let my tentacles sweep across the edge of the lightning
and hide among the thick beds of pond reeds 
reborn / like the ducklings;
then throw myself into the colorful field
gather some fresh and mild joy* with bitter or sweet taste
the aftertaste is between my lips and teeth.
Let me make a teapot of fresh tea 
with the spring-like flowing light at noon
without any reason.
Let me lay down my head on a pillow of 
the scents of grass and warm sunshine
listen attentively / how a flower blooms and fades, 
then chew the old verse while 
sipping the sweet and crystal flavor of Spring.

Let my ethereal sight fly beyond 
the float clouds in the high sky 
and dive into the sea of Spring deeply.
Swim, swim
like a playful kid, who forgets the returning time,
won’t come back shortly;
or be a lover out of mind
drag the bottom of dress tightly,
which is drawing out to leave determinedly,
and choke speechlessly
even die
to assume thus stay in Spring permanently.

Until the last apple petal withered
I understand finally 
my enamored spring
has gone away slowly / without a farewell.
An oriole sings her mellow music outside my window
while I drown in my departed dream deeply.
I disregard her idly.
She heaves a sigh, then flies away.

Min Katherine Liu
Virginia Tech
WVArts Solitude
Spring 2016



Note: Fresh and mild joy here means the fresh and mild flavorful wild flowers or vegetables which can be eaten by humans. It is from the poem of the ancient Chinese poet Sushi who wrote “The best flavor in the world is the mild joy ”.
伤春

2016年5月6日

最后一片苹果花瓣也枯萎了，
我才惊觉，
我热爱的春天
未及告别，已悄悄走远。
日渐浓密的绿荫间，
阳光斑驳闪烁，
灼痛我不知所措的心 和脆弱的眼。

让我扇动蝴蝶的双翅，
飞回那梦一般的时光吧！
让我长成高高的梨花树，
狂风中起舞， 
衣袂在天地间翻飞 如雪；
又或是纷纷扬扬的樱花，
一缕香魂拖曳着粉色裙尾
漫过草地，
漫过湖水，
漫过所有 迤逦感伤的记忆。

让我降落到月圆之夜吧，
让我站成一株亭亭的白色山茱萸，
沐浴着如水的月光，
虔诚地许下
夜露般清凉的心愿；
或者在某个迷醉的黄昏，
和漫山的紫薇花一起
熔化成满天的霞光，
再一起坠入
一个醺醺然的稠梦里。

让我把灿烂如阳光的迎春花环戴在头顶吧，
然后在大风中赤足奔跑 并呼喊，
追寻光明之源！
让我把长发梳理成细嫩的柳枝吧，
再在微风中轻轻拨响
悸动心灵的 每一丝琴弦；
又也许虚化成烟雨中的杏花 或玉兰，
然后用手心里的遥远故园，
重叠眼前 似曾相识的柔软。

让我用触角掠过闪电的边缘吧！
藏身到池塘的芦苇丛间，
雏鸭一样地新生；
再一头扎进缤纷的田原，
采撷一些
唇齿回味的 或苦或甜的清欢*；
让我用山泉似的流光沏一壶新茶吧，
在一个不需要理由的午间。
让我头枕草香和暖阳，
倾听花开 花谢，
再咀嚼着古老的诗句，
一点一点啜饮 春的甘洌。

让我缥缈的目光越过高天上的浮云吧，
深深地 潜入春日的海。
游弋，游弋，
象贪玩的孩童 忘了归期，
迟迟不还； 
又或象失魂落魄的恋人，
紧紧拽住 决意抽离的衣角，
无语凝噎，
乃至死去
以为如此便能 永久地留在春天。

最后一片苹果花瓣也凋零了，
我终于明白，
我迷恋的春天，
未及告别 已慢慢走远。
黄莺在窗前婉转它的歌喉，
而我沉浸在旧梦里，懒得理睬。
她叹息一声，飞去了。

备注：清欢在此处意指可供人食用的口味清淡新鲜的野花野菜，出自苏轼词“人间有味是清欢