Five Exquisite Poems by Yuan Changming

 

Tuner: for Qi Hong

 

While still in Mayuhe on the other

Side of this world, you somehow gave me

An air-tuner, supposedly to help me

Learn erhu, the violin with only two strings

As a re-educated youth during the Cultural

Revolution, which you somehow asked me

To return to you before I took my long journey

Towards the West

     (Like the monkey king?)

 

Now almost half a century

Later, I forget how to play the instrument

But I can still sing my youthful song of

Love in perfect tune with your chuckles

Like a kite whose string remains in

Your hand however far or high

I have been flying

Reach out in Yearning: for Qi Hong

 

From the heart of night I look high up &

Spot two particular stars twinkling at me

            As lovingly as your eyes beyond the horizon

 

On a beach rock, I howl aloud

Towards the whole pacific, & hear an echo

            From your call like a lost whale

 

Amid summer raindrops, I shoot my thought of you

Down through the earth, & feel a deep tremor

            Vibrating on the other side of this world

All Day Long: for Li Lan

 

More adaptable than a summer stream  

No less wild than a wild west wind

 

My missing for you can flow & blow

Without leaving a single trace behind 

 

Like the water or the whirl, like all that

   Has no shape has no shadow

Unrequited Love

 

You are the tall mountain across the valley

That ever remains as silent as the sky

Except the echo of my own calls & songs

Man’s Last Position

 

Against all the hardships of life is held

In the very depth of his heart, where

Hides a vivid portrayal of some woman

Yuan Changming hails with Allen Yuan from poetrypacific.blogspot.ca. Credits include Pushcart nominations besides appearances in Best of the Best Canadian Poetry (2008-17) & BestNewPoemsOnline, among others. Recently, Yuan published his eleventh chapbook Limerence, and served on the jury for Canada's 44th National Magazine Awards (poetry category).