I can still clearly remember the scene of the Poetry Festival held at Sweet Honey Lake in Anhui Province on Tomb-Sweeping Day this year.When the poets and poetry critics from all over the country were discussing the current situation of contemporary Chinese poetry composition and investigating the topic of whether or not there exists a so-called “Southern Spirit”in Chinese poetry,Professor Wang Hongsheng,the dean of the College of Arts at Shanghai University,proposed another topic,that is,the current existence and mental health of Chinese poets.Until now I have had in my mind exactly what Professor Wang Hongsheng said on that day.It is a real a pity that I cannot discuss it here owing to a lack of space,so later I shall compose a special article to analyze his topic.Here I just want to say that a true poet should bear “a mission”or “a sense of mission”towards poetry,so that when you are hesitating about “to be or not to be”,please bear in mind that you are a poet.So as a true poet,you cannot and should not choose to “leave”before completing all your own poems.Here I just want to remind the poets to cherish your own lives as you cherish poetry.Let’s stand in silent tribute for Phoenix Tree who died an untimely death.(From the author)
附:吾同树的留给诗坛的最后一首诗P.S.:The last poem Phoenix Tree left to the Parnassus
《消失》
《Fade Away 》
吾同树
Phoenix Tree
一只鸟,在层云上飞
A bird is flying above the clouds 那疲倦的身躯、迷茫的眼神
and concealing its exhausted body and confused glances 只能被云朵的灰色遮蔽
just behind the grey color of the clouds.或许云有多么脆弱,然而
maybe the clouds are very fragile,however,他无法穿透,他的力气已将用完
he cannot penetrate them.As his strength is running out,内心的虚弱,更能感觉天空的缥缈
his weak heart could feel the misty sky more.努力地扇动翅膀依旧没能绕过
It flaps its wings with a effort but still fails to move round 雷电潜伏在云的周围
the thunderbolt hiding around the clouds.他爱的人都在下边
Those it loves are all on the Earth underneath 大地上熙熙攘攘地过往
coming and going in hustle and bustle.他们无法飞起,沉溺其中——
they cannot get off the ground,indulged in 幸福和苦痛,在尘嚣中难分彼此
happiness and bitterness in the madding crowd at a loss.雨下了,寒凉的雨丝
The rain falls and there is a cool drizzle 没有零落的羽毛
and the falling feather in the sky 再无孤独的影子
but the lonely shadow vanishes.之后,天空像新鲜的蓝床单
afterwards,the sky is as fresh as a new blue blanket 而大地,继续像垃圾场
while the Earth remains a waste-yard 物质坚持物质的腐烂
where the materials continue to decay in their own way,梦在无形地蒸发,一切在缓慢地
while dreams evaporate invisibly.So everything 消失,于相近或遥远的未来。
gradually fades away in the near or far future.2008-07-31
on July 31,2008
(Translated by Liu Xiaofeng &;Hu Zongfeng)
093首:行者·不原谅历史
Statue 93:A Faquir Won’t Forgive History
——-仅以此诗献给我20年前的诗哥徐敬亚先生
——To My Poet-Brother Mr.Xu Jingya Twenty Years Ago
信马由缰的行者??你
You are a faquir riding with lax reins.
汗血宝马来自盛唐以前的西域
your legendary blood-red charger from the Western
枣红色的皮子比缎子还要细密的皮子
Regions earlier than the Grand Tang Dynasty
象征朝阳或夕阳
is an emblem of the rising Sun or the setting Sun,with claret skin,smoother
雪样洁白的四蹄
than satin,and four hoofs as white as snow
不仅生风
which not only raises turbulence when galloping
还生诗歌?以及
but also raise poetry as well as
诗歌以外的另一些东西
something else except poetry.
马出自西域?你却不知
your magic charger comes from the Western Region,
自己是来自昆仑
while you are not clear where you come from,
还是来自天山——
the Kunlun Mountains or the Snow Mountains.
指鹿为牛的行者?你
You are a faquir who points to a deer and call it a bull.
有着一双
And you have a pair of
隼一样的眼睛
hawk’s eyes
时而如鹏腾起
and sometimes you spring up like a large fabulous bird
时而似鹈鹕蓄势
sometimes you save up strength like a pelican
喙很大?很弯
with a huge and curved beak
说明你的胃口很好
which proves your good appetite.
昆仑之巅??你的巢
You build your nest on the summit of -the Kunlun Mountains,
无草?却垒满石头
which is packed with stones rather than grass.
小一点的石头象卵
The smaller stones are like eggs
象和田小镇??一条清水河里
or the white jade in a clear river of
石化的羊脂?你说那是你的卵
Chinese town famous for producing jade.
已经受精的卵
You tell me those are your own eggs,your germ cells
可以孵出希望
that could hatch out hopes
也可以孵出诗歌