Encounter by Chile Chuan, tr. Wang Ping

Encounter 

by Chile Chuan, tr. Wang Ping 

 

That was August, I was roaming on the grassland

I encountered a tiny blade of grass

With a sad face, it told me

His friend, so strong, healthy, died suddenly

“It was so handsome, so vital, but…”

It started to cry, its tears

Thicker than human tears

I wanted to say a few words as condolence

But what does a man know to comfort a blade of grass?

 

邂逅 敕勒川

是八月间的事了，我在草原上

遇到了一棵我认识的小草

它遇到我时一脸哀痛，它向我讲述了

另一棵健壮的草，是怎样转眼就夭折了

“它是那么英俊，充满生气，然而……”

它说着说着就哭了起来，我看见

它流下的眼泪，比我们人类

稠多了

我想安慰它几句，但一个人

怎么能安慰一棵草呢

 

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Chi Le Chuan hails from Hohhot, Mongolia. His name comes from the famous nomad song from the 5th century, by the Chile nomads, distantly related to the Uighur. (Song appears below.) Migration was constant and natural, like wind and water. There was no border then—only sky, land, and songs. 

 

Song from the Northern Dynasty （439-581）

 

The Chile valley flows down the Yin Mountain 

The sky covers the earth like a dome

Oh heaven so far away, oh land so wild

Wind bends grass, revealing sheep and cattle

 

敕勒川，陰山下。

天似穹廬，籠蓋四野。

天蒼蒼，野茫茫。

風吹草低見牛羊。

 

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Wang Ping is a Chinese-American poet with over a dozen books to her name who lives in St. Paul, MN. See her webpage, WangPing.com.