Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Ya Shi

GRAVEYARD • SCRUB FOREST

Probably a mile from the stone house in a ravine
there’s a graveyard so battered it's hard to pick out
a few coarse bits of scattered sandstone      from another angle
though appears a meticulous secret pattern
especially after rain      when there hangs a limpid, persistent
idea      that when entering the dense scrub forest to the left
there will be an insignificant, richly magnetic sound
arriving from the right      to dissolve in the body’s softest parts.
I believe      all this has been carefully considered
including my arrival      including this half-circular scrub forest
which has maybe just bubbled up here, impossible to fully describe
here      the limbs of some members have already gone ancient and black
some others      are shaken by light dripped down onto their heads
those leaves      just like the skin of babies, blue-green, translucent

坟茔•杂树林

坟茔•杂树林

离石屋大约两公里的山坳里
有座破败得难以辨识的坟茔
几块粗砺的乱石散落着      换个角度
却又显露出一种秘密布置的精心
尤其是雨后      当怀着清亮、固执的
念头      走进左侧那片茂密的杂树林时
就有低微的、富有磁性的声音
从右侧传来      溶入身体最柔软的部分。
我相信      这一切都经过深思熟虑
包括我的出现      包括不能详尽描绘的
也许是刚刚涌显的这片扇形杂树林
在这里      一些成员已古老得枝干发黑
另一些      被头顶漏泄的光线摇曳着
那叶片      正如婴儿肌肤般翠绿、透明
Close

GRAVEYARD • SCRUB FOREST

Probably a mile from the stone house in a ravine
there’s a graveyard so battered it's hard to pick out
a few coarse bits of scattered sandstone      from another angle
though appears a meticulous secret pattern
especially after rain      when there hangs a limpid, persistent
idea      that when entering the dense scrub forest to the left
there will be an insignificant, richly magnetic sound
arriving from the right      to dissolve in the body’s softest parts.
I believe      all this has been carefully considered
including my arrival      including this half-circular scrub forest
which has maybe just bubbled up here, impossible to fully describe
here      the limbs of some members have already gone ancient and black
some others      are shaken by light dripped down onto their heads
those leaves      just like the skin of babies, blue-green, translucent

GRAVEYARD • SCRUB FOREST

Probably a mile from the stone house in a ravine
there’s a graveyard so battered it's hard to pick out
a few coarse bits of scattered sandstone      from another angle
though appears a meticulous secret pattern
especially after rain      when there hangs a limpid, persistent
idea      that when entering the dense scrub forest to the left
there will be an insignificant, richly magnetic sound
arriving from the right      to dissolve in the body’s softest parts.
I believe      all this has been carefully considered
including my arrival      including this half-circular scrub forest
which has maybe just bubbled up here, impossible to fully describe
here      the limbs of some members have already gone ancient and black
some others      are shaken by light dripped down onto their heads
those leaves      just like the skin of babies, blue-green, translucent
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Prins Bernhard cultuurfonds
Lira fonds
Versopolis
J.E. Jurriaanse
Gefinancierd door de Europese Unie
Elise Mathilde Fonds
Stichting Verzameling van Wijngaarden-Boot
Veerhuis
VDM
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère