Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Yang Lian

RUINS OF A SAGE

they were perhaps doing no more than discussing goats
slowly sipping tea     as dusk deepened
moonlight drifting over an unbroken swathe of pine needles
 
the big resin-perfumed trees firmly underpin
the quadrangle of mountain shadow     splashing the day’s birdsong away
the limestone bench locking the travellers in
 
in watchful attention    the voice picked them clean
a jade-like distance condensed in a porcelain cup
set gently down still so moist and translucent

RUÏNES VAN DE FILOSOFEN

goed mogelijk dat ze alleen maar over geiten spraken
langzaam van de thee nipten      donkere schemering
drijvend maanlicht over een aaneengesloten vlakte van dennennaalden
 
de grote bomen met pijnboomharsgeur ondersteunen
de bergschaduwen rondom      morsen het vogelgezang van de dag
een arduinstenen bankje sluit de reizigers in
 
luisterend      worden ze door stemmen schoon gepikt
een afstand als jade bezonken in een porseleinen theekop
glanzend glad en transparant wanneer het zacht wordt neergezet 

哲人之墟

他们可能只不过在谈论山羊
缓缓嗍一口茶 浓了暮色
连成一片的松针上漂着月亮
 
松香味儿的大树稳稳撑着
四合的山影 泼掉一日鸟声
一张青石凳反锁游客
 
谛听中 他们被口音剔净
一只瓷茶杯沉淀如玉的远方
轻轻放下时仍温润而透明
Close

RUINS OF A SAGE

they were perhaps doing no more than discussing goats
slowly sipping tea     as dusk deepened
moonlight drifting over an unbroken swathe of pine needles
 
the big resin-perfumed trees firmly underpin
the quadrangle of mountain shadow     splashing the day’s birdsong away
the limestone bench locking the travellers in
 
in watchful attention    the voice picked them clean
a jade-like distance condensed in a porcelain cup
set gently down still so moist and translucent

RUINS OF A SAGE

they were perhaps doing no more than discussing goats
slowly sipping tea     as dusk deepened
moonlight drifting over an unbroken swathe of pine needles
 
the big resin-perfumed trees firmly underpin
the quadrangle of mountain shadow     splashing the day’s birdsong away
the limestone bench locking the travellers in
 
in watchful attention    the voice picked them clean
a jade-like distance condensed in a porcelain cup
set gently down still so moist and translucent
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Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Ludo Pieters Gastschrijver Fonds
Lira fonds
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