Monday, May 19, 2008

Tears in My Heart for China



Millions mourn China earthquake dead with air sirens wailing in grief

The earth is cracking
The clouds are wailing
and many hearts are bleeding.


The earthquake shook Sichuan at 2.28 pm on my sweetheart's birthday.
Yu Huilin and I were beaming in the sunlight in Wenchuan
All seemed beautiful and wonderful in Sichuan
We thanked God for Hu Jintao that Monday.
Then suddenly the earth gave way under our feet
The tremors tore through the street
Wenchuan was cracking apart
I saw Yu Hulin’s mule fall over his cart
I could hear the echoes from Beichuan.
The pall of sack cloth fell over the red roses
And ashes fell on the Rosa chinensis in Guizhou, Hubei, and Sichuan
I saw Zhao Li, Qian Wu and others pushing up the daises.

As we gather at Tian'anmen Square today
The sirens are echoing all around me
But I am shedding tears ordinary eyes cannot see.
The tears of the pains that even the rains cannot wash away.
I am muttering the elegies for the countless ones
赵钱孙李周吴郑王冯陈诸卫蒋沈韩杨
朱秦尤许何吕施张孔曹严华金魏陶姜
The countless ones the rest of the world do not know their names.
For as the 五星红旗 is flying at half mast
I am shedding tears in my heart.


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