China III

By Adrienne Su b. 1967 Adrienne Su

 

 

It is too much a part of things,

even though the source来源 is not within.

 

In small American cities

with and without universities,

 

it keeps a constant presence  不变的存在

in the Confucian sense, 道理，观念

 

the inner arriving to match匹配

the outer, spirit not separate 分离

 

from matter (the latter illusion幻觉，错觉

left by the missions传授

 

the people have made such fine

use of). There are times

 

when you have to pretend

to embrace 信奉，皈依an idea or befriend帮助，扶助

 

your adversaries敌人. If constantly不断地，时常地

misinterpreted, use the mystery

 

as currency. You have to start

somewhere. Be wise明智: depart离开，启程

 

from where they’ve already put you.

A country itself can’t betray you.

 

This poem has a certain history background about a decade from 1966-1976. During this decade the government made a huge wrong decision that to destroy all the old thing from Chinese history which are particularly including Confucian sense stuff and all the traditional constactures.

The mood of this poem is extremely serious about that period unforgettable history. And the poet try to tell people who could not find a exit from that horriable nightmare to get rid of it.

The tone of this poem is heavy and strong about emotional feeling and physicstical reaction.