Spring Memories
-Reading Huang Ke, a book by Zhang Zao
Brother Huang Ke: “We’ve done same drinking, you and me
Into the quiet of night, and we’re copying it this moment.”
Reading further, I opened an older history book:
Yuan Yishan: in August Bingzhou , seeing wild geese flying
south
Han Donglang: in the new cold of year, sleeping into daylight
Dai Wangshu: just recovered, arising for a new orange, removing his
old coat in deep autumn
Xu Zhimo: gently crossing through the curtain, and disappearing
like a swallow
At this moment, we were awake, chatting, and drinking …
Who is it but me, the man sick with alcohol in the chilly
spring?
Who is it but you, the man sitting dry in the fat spring?
The quivering morning sun shining over illusory Beijing !
I took the early bus to give lessons, drinking up a bottle of
orange juice.
February 3, 2014
Chinese text by Bai Hua
June 10, 2018
Translated into English by Li Fukang
春天之忆
——早春读《黄珂》，想起张枣。
黄珂兄：“这静夜，这对饮，我们仿佛
曾经有过，此刻，我们只是在临摹从前。”
读下去，我就打开了一本更老的历史书：
元遗山，八月并州，大雁南飞
韩冬郎，已凉天气，白昼入眠
戴望舒呢，病起尝新橘，秋深换旧裳
徐志摩轻轻地，似一只燕子穿帘而去
此刻，我们醒着，说着，补饮着……
那寒春病酒的人，不是我，是谁？
那浓春枯坐的人，不是你，是谁？
晨曦，剪剪风儿恻恻冷，幻觉北京！
我乘早班车去上课，一口气喝完一瓶橙汁。
2014-2-3
