Long Yangtze Poems

Chinese Poets: English Translations II

These are modern English translations of poems by the Chinese poets Tzu Yeh, Lin Huiyin, Xu Zhimo and Huang E. These are poems about love, passion and beauty. 


Tzu Yeh (circa...

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I once spent a week in the drunk tank
couldn't handle the spirits that I drank
the cuisine wasn't half bad
we even had a few laughs
but I had to guard my butt with a shank


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It used to...

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Himalayas

Eons ago in the planet’s evolution,
During tectonic plate movement: 1
The Indian Island Ma moved northward
Crashing into the Eurasian continent,
To form the Himalayan mountains. 2

Out of the chaos, towering peaks arose,
Piercing heavenly soft, white cotton clouds,
Bursting...

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SORROWS OF THE WILD GEESE by HUANG E

These are my modern English translations of poems by the Chinese poet Huang E (1498–1569), also known as Huang Xiumei. She has been called the most outstanding female...

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I traveled almost everywhere, growing up. It took years. The landscapes, flora and fauna, the art, music, cuisines and curse words all seem to blend together in my mind.

Mount Fuji, the Rhine, the Himalayas, the...

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Heavily laden boats, rectangular sails billowing 
    Under seas of low cloud, braving the fierce Yangtze;                ...

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(As a child I was nicknamed Andie Pandie for the panda bear that I liked so much, one reason why I chose to do my ode for this animal. Also I was born in September,...

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t?sse?a st???e?a: ?e??

?e??: mainland china-
the year is 1930 and the
people of china have
been suffering for 2
years now because of
widespread drought which
caused famine in three
northern provinces, that of
gansu, henan & shaanxi---
said to have killed nearly
3 million...

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How lovely and how strange a river is. A river is a river, always there, and yet the water flowing through it is never the same water and is never still. It’s always changing and...

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Whenever a ginseng breeze blows,
Tokyo tears fall in my heart — 
I have mountain village longings for distant her
My lonely home sits below sea-level blue,
my sabishi jia is sinking below cerulean water
Butterfly images on the...

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after Ho Chi Minh

I
The stone basin holds
still water. The still water

drinks the arid sponge
as rays of pure energy

slake their thirst on
the ebon wings of crows

II
Yangtze flows from widows peak
pooling briefly in the lock

of a tired...

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Flow mighty rivers, what all have you seen
Rise and fall of empires, string of storied kings
As veins carry blood, you give Earth its life
Carving the landscape as if done by a knife
Ancient, so ancient, much...

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I know of, and I rest in awe of the illimitable greatness of the river Congo, and the Yangtze.
     I know of and I rest in awe of the brilliance and...

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In the Hubei province of China central,
Is a city which is regal.
On the banks of the Yangtze mighty,
A busy hub for trade, basking in glory.

Wuhan is the name, known to many,
Is now in the news...

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Quayside bazaar
Odd artifacts;
Trinkets to go

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Poignant tune
Old memories flood;
Trip to yesterday

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Airport arrival
Homecoming route;
Mid-afternoon buzz

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Laundry lady
Dry cleaning job;
Helpful hints

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Sleepy hangover
My mother's voice;
Dreamy interlude

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Old giant rubber tree
Huge monolith;
Treasured monument

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Abrupt torrential rain
Misty blur ooze;
Traffic congestion

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Newspaper headline
Yangtze River mishap;
Death by...

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