Poets in my Homeroom: Wuhan 2010

 

Some of my homeroom students also attended my poetry workshop. As I’ve mentioned before they aren’t English majors or poets. They are scientists and mathematicians. Li Feng works with electric information, Lily is a chemist, Celeste and Kelvin are studying statistics. “Mathematics is the language of God,” Kelvin says. Qing and Johnny are hydrogen engineers. They are going to work on new ways to use hydrogen for energry (get rid of the oil!) and new ways to control floods. Hubai Province has had constant rains and flooding the whole time I’ve been here with hundreds of thousands displaced, a great loss of property, and even more sadly human lives.

They are problem solvers. So are poets by the way; we have that in common. They are optimistic too as you can see by their poetry. If you look at Johnny’s poem, for example, it has that Chinese characteristic of coming to terms with opposites and making them harmonious and whole: the snow, what is freezing, still warms our hearts.

 

THIS IS MY LIFE

 

This is my life

Bright, happy and beautiful.

Whatever happens

It will always be my way.

 

Just like the candle in the dark

The sun in the sky

It lights up my road

And I will never be afraid in my heart.

 

Just like the smile of the baby

The hug of the lover

It brings me courage

To face the difficulties on my way.

 

Just like the flowers of the spring

The fireworks of the night

It teaches me love

To treasure in my heart.

 

Li Feng

 

IT STILL RAINS

 

It rains all the day

I am still on my way

There is no one with me

I am here with the rain

 

The clock ticks here and there

Time passes quietly

Twilight spills into the window

I go back to the old day

 

It’s only a sweet dream

As still time goes by

The world outside of me

It rains all the day

 

Celeste

 

 

I WANT TO BE A TREE

 

I want to be a tree

standing not too far away

I want to be a tree

seeing you riding on your way

I want to be a tree

loving you in this way

I won’t cry, I won’t cry

With your smile

I grow up hopeful every day

 

Lily

 

GREEN FIRE

 

Green fire is burning on the grass

And it is eager for your hug.

Flowers are fighting against earth

Before their rising from the soil.

Trouble or joy is blowing warmly in the wind.

If you woke up and pushed the window now

“Amazing appearance of desire,

wonderful appearance of herbs’ desire,”

you would say.

What spring wants spring gets.

 

Kelvin

 

 

LOVE

 

I locked myself

The key is lost

I poisoned myself

The antidote is absent

Not your fault

Just leave me alone

Waiting for the renascence

 

Qing

 

LOVE

 

Love is like snow

so beautiful, so pure, so soft.

Love is like snow

so beautiful, so pure, so soft.

Freezing as it is

it still warms our hearts.

 

Johnny