Poem
Shuijing Zhulian
Waitress X
with Man Y I came to this restaurantWaitress X
still you were standing in the same old spot
holding spoons, or sometimes not, and just like last time you
loved observing your customers
my handbag you recalled
recalled how I treated other people
still not that old
but no sign of love in my face
you stared at my handbag
I kept on opening and closing it
is this the one thing you’ll keep in
your memory of me—
that opening and closing
for no real reason?
© Translation: 2003, Simon Patton
WAITRESS X
© 2003, Shuijing Zhulian
Poems
Poems of Shuijing Zhulian
Close
Waitress X
with Man Y I came to this restaurantWaitress X
still you were standing in the same old spot
holding spoons, or sometimes not, and just like last time you
loved observing your customers
my handbag you recalled
recalled how I treated other people
still not that old
but no sign of love in my face
you stared at my handbag
I kept on opening and closing it
is this the one thing you’ll keep in
your memory of me—
that opening and closing
for no real reason?
© 2003, Simon Patton
Waitress X
with Man Y I came to this restaurantWaitress X
still you were standing in the same old spot
holding spoons, or sometimes not, and just like last time you
loved observing your customers
my handbag you recalled
recalled how I treated other people
still not that old
but no sign of love in my face
you stared at my handbag
I kept on opening and closing it
is this the one thing you’ll keep in
your memory of me—
that opening and closing
for no real reason?
© 2003, Simon Patton
Sponsors
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère