Poem
Wang Xiaoni
Poet
This morning, together with many others,I sneered at poetry
for being rubbish.
But only my sneering was genuine
because I am a poet.
I'm in the habit of collecting
any blank paper I find.
Someone said I had to be
up to something.
No, no way.
Compared to the poets in the street
I'm already indistinguishable from any passer-by.
Late at night,
I feel suddenly sleepless.
I get myself pen and paper
but cannot write a single word.
I cannot write a single word,
and feel discouraged, like a rat in defeat.
Finally, I understand perfectly:
it is my fate
to be a poet.
1984
© Translation: 2004, Simon Patton
POET
© 1984, Wang Xiaoni
Poems
Poems of Wang Xiaoni
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Poet
This morning, together with many others,I sneered at poetry
for being rubbish.
But only my sneering was genuine
because I am a poet.
I'm in the habit of collecting
any blank paper I find.
Someone said I had to be
up to something.
No, no way.
Compared to the poets in the street
I'm already indistinguishable from any passer-by.
Late at night,
I feel suddenly sleepless.
I get myself pen and paper
but cannot write a single word.
I cannot write a single word,
and feel discouraged, like a rat in defeat.
Finally, I understand perfectly:
it is my fate
to be a poet.
1984
© 2004, Simon Patton
Poet
This morning, together with many others,I sneered at poetry
for being rubbish.
But only my sneering was genuine
because I am a poet.
I'm in the habit of collecting
any blank paper I find.
Someone said I had to be
up to something.
No, no way.
Compared to the poets in the street
I'm already indistinguishable from any passer-by.
Late at night,
I feel suddenly sleepless.
I get myself pen and paper
but cannot write a single word.
I cannot write a single word,
and feel discouraged, like a rat in defeat.
Finally, I understand perfectly:
it is my fate
to be a poet.
1984
© 2004, Simon Patton
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