Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Jimu Langge

Chinese Poets

They are a bunch of smart people 
They make the Chinese language shine 
And also make Chinese poetry distant from ordinary people 
I can’t separate myself from them 
Whether I like it or not 
If the poets that I like suddenly disappeared 
I’d have to go find poets that I don’t like 
Drink with them or take them out for drinks 
This is the smart thing to do because 
Writing is done at home, while socializing is done in the bar 
I once was in a poet’s study I saw with my own eyes 
Very outspoken faces 
And their conversation 
As well as their lines of poetry reeked of the study 
Unable to withstand the elements
Poets say that after Ai Qing stopped writing poetry 
He became a poet 
In the study there were cheers and laughter 
That instant of boredom 
Was enough to languish my whole life away 
They talked about poetry too much 
Just as people talk too much about their mission in life 
The look on their faces reminded me of the loyal of antiquity, 
Their merits written down in the annals of history 
And yet in front of the emperor they at last honorably 
Kneeled down 
I sense that at that time
In a forest far from poetry, love emerged 
A young woman and a man threw away other motivations 
Save wanting to be close to one another 
Don’t make love so complicated 
Especially in the study
I don’t like hot topics 
But I like talent
Its wonder goes beyond words, 
Your lines of poetry just leap onto the page 
One should go find poets one doesn’t like
Drink with them or take them out for drinks
This is the smart thing to do

中国诗人

中国诗人

他们都是一些聪明的人
他们使中国语言光彩夺目
又使中国诗歌远离人群
我离不开他们
不管喜欢与不喜欢
假如我喜欢的诗人突然消失了
我只好去找不喜欢的诗人
喝他们的酒或者请他们喝酒
这是聪明的办法。因为
写作在家里,交往在酒吧
当年我在一位诗人的书房
亲眼看见了一种
十分坦白的面目
还有他们的谈话
以及诗句过于书房
经不住风吹雨打
诗人说艾青不写诗后
成为了诗人
书房里欢声笑话
那一瞬间的无聊
足以消磨我一生
他们把诗歌谈得太多了
就像把使命谈得太多
那种神情让我想起古代的忠良
他们名垂青史的功绩
终于在皇帝面前光荣地
跪了下来
我感到,当时
在远离诗歌的丛林发生了爱情
年轻的男女抛开其他目的
他们只想彼此靠近
不要把爱情搞复杂了
尤其在书房里
我不喜欢热烈的话题
但我喜欢才华
它真是妙不可言,就这样
你的诗句跃然纸上
同意自己去找不喜欢的诗人
喝他们的酒或者请他们喝酒
这是聪明的办法
Close

Chinese Poets

They are a bunch of smart people 
They make the Chinese language shine 
And also make Chinese poetry distant from ordinary people 
I can’t separate myself from them 
Whether I like it or not 
If the poets that I like suddenly disappeared 
I’d have to go find poets that I don’t like 
Drink with them or take them out for drinks 
This is the smart thing to do because 
Writing is done at home, while socializing is done in the bar 
I once was in a poet’s study I saw with my own eyes 
Very outspoken faces 
And their conversation 
As well as their lines of poetry reeked of the study 
Unable to withstand the elements
Poets say that after Ai Qing stopped writing poetry 
He became a poet 
In the study there were cheers and laughter 
That instant of boredom 
Was enough to languish my whole life away 
They talked about poetry too much 
Just as people talk too much about their mission in life 
The look on their faces reminded me of the loyal of antiquity, 
Their merits written down in the annals of history 
And yet in front of the emperor they at last honorably 
Kneeled down 
I sense that at that time
In a forest far from poetry, love emerged 
A young woman and a man threw away other motivations 
Save wanting to be close to one another 
Don’t make love so complicated 
Especially in the study
I don’t like hot topics 
But I like talent
Its wonder goes beyond words, 
Your lines of poetry just leap onto the page 
One should go find poets one doesn’t like
Drink with them or take them out for drinks
This is the smart thing to do

Chinese Poets

They are a bunch of smart people 
They make the Chinese language shine 
And also make Chinese poetry distant from ordinary people 
I can’t separate myself from them 
Whether I like it or not 
If the poets that I like suddenly disappeared 
I’d have to go find poets that I don’t like 
Drink with them or take them out for drinks 
This is the smart thing to do because 
Writing is done at home, while socializing is done in the bar 
I once was in a poet’s study I saw with my own eyes 
Very outspoken faces 
And their conversation 
As well as their lines of poetry reeked of the study 
Unable to withstand the elements
Poets say that after Ai Qing stopped writing poetry 
He became a poet 
In the study there were cheers and laughter 
That instant of boredom 
Was enough to languish my whole life away 
They talked about poetry too much 
Just as people talk too much about their mission in life 
The look on their faces reminded me of the loyal of antiquity, 
Their merits written down in the annals of history 
And yet in front of the emperor they at last honorably 
Kneeled down 
I sense that at that time
In a forest far from poetry, love emerged 
A young woman and a man threw away other motivations 
Save wanting to be close to one another 
Don’t make love so complicated 
Especially in the study
I don’t like hot topics 
But I like talent
Its wonder goes beyond words, 
Your lines of poetry just leap onto the page 
One should go find poets one doesn’t like
Drink with them or take them out for drinks
This is the smart thing to do

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