national poetry month day 21

[extemporally]

I truly thought yesterday's post was going to be the last of my series of Chinese poetry posts, but exceptindreams posted this some days ago (I saw it only yesterday) and it was so amazing I have no choice but to c&p:

(The text within the brackets is not part of the poem. Also, the poem was written in Chinese, but the presentation here with the English translation alternating with the Chinese is so that you can see the characters discussed.)

"龍的文本(以及它的四種變體)"
向陽

"The Original Version of Dragon (And Its Four Permutations)"
Xiang Yang

[Each of the characters from 1~4 have the base radical of "dragon" and an additional radical that completely changes the meaning. All five characters are pronounced the same, however.]

0.龍

帶麟　帶角　帶鬚
從雷　從雲　從雨
上天　下海　入地
一脈　相承
綿延　不息

有　傳說
無　傳人
幸好　它不是
瀕臨滅絕動物

可複製可仿冒可隨意使用
不怕三○一


0. Dragon

With scales - with horns - with whiskers
From thunder - from clouds - from rain
Up in the sky - down in the sea - into the ground
One pulse - shared
Continuous - neverceasing

Have - legends
But no - descendants
Good thing - it is not
A species on the brink of extinction

Able to be copied, faked, used at will
Without fear of 301

[301 refers to the Special 301 List that the U.S. Trade Representative Office publishes each year, listing all the economies that don't provide strong intellectual property protection. It's divided into multiple categories like Watch List, Priority Watch List, etc. and Taiwan has been on the Priority Watch List for the past few years because its intellectual property protection is practically nonexistent.]

1.聾

因為牙痛
求診的我
在醫師面前
說不出話來
　
話說太多了
醫師暗示
少說些話
自然不痛
　
我趕忙回家
閉門鎖戶
牙痛果然痊癒
耳根也清靜了
　
天下　闃寂
太平　無聲


1. Deaf

Because of toothache
I, who asked for an examination,
in front of the doctor,
could not speak.

You talk too much,
the doctor hinted.
Talk less
And naturally the pain will stop.

I rushed home quickly
Closed the doors, locked the house
The toothache really did heal
And the roots of my ears, too, were clean and quiet.

Under the sky - all was quiet
Peace - silence



2.籠

不關思想
關　罪刑
不犯上意
犯　法律

你的人身自由
受到絕對保護
讓你獨自享用
一片天空

隨你
愛怎麼想
就怎麼想

2. Cage

Not concerning thoughts
Locking away - crimes
Not an offense against my superiors
An offense against - laws

Your person is free
Under absolute protection
Allowing you to enjoy, alone,
A piece of sky

As you wish
Whatever you want to think
You can think it

["Concern" and "locking away" share the same character, so an alternate interpretation (pun) of the first line might be "Not imprisoned for one's thoughts (thoughtcrime)"]


3.攏

我的手
等你牽
我的肩
等你靠
我的眼神
等你關愛

我的一切
攏總
給你

連我的空虛
也一併
讓你帶走
任你宰割


3. Reach out

My hand
Waits for your grasp
My shoulder
Waits for you to lean on it
My sight
Waits for your love

All I have
Everything
I give to you

Even my hollow emptiness
Is also included
Letting you take it away
For you to exploit it however you like



4.壟

我把一生
青春　悲喜與榮辱
都獻給土地

從黑髮　朝思
到白髮　暮想

普天
之下
莫非
我土

沒有我　哪有家
沒有我　哪有國


4. [The slightly upraised dirt walkway between rice paddies]

I take my life
youth - sadness/happiness and honor/shame
and give it all to the earth.

From black hair - morning considerations
To white hair - sunset thoughts

Under
The sky
All lands
Are mine

Without me - what home is there?
Without me - what country is there?

translated/explained by Denise Lin