Poem
Han Dong
Round Jade
when the light goes out, darkness falls
when things settle, I see a patch of light
barely visible: what could it be?
this greenish glow, I’ve never noticed it before
next thing, my hand comes into contact with
a round piece of jade
as I wind its cotton string around my fingers
I can’t remember who gave it to me
(I did, later)
but this subdued light remained a stranger
it shed no light on the objects around it
as if sightless
sombre as the glint in a blind woman’s eyes
© Translation: 2006, Simon Patton
ROUND JADE
© 2003, Han Dong
Poems
Poems of Han Dong
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Round Jade
when the light goes out, darkness falls
when things settle, I see a patch of light
barely visible: what could it be?
this greenish glow, I’ve never noticed it before
next thing, my hand comes into contact with
a round piece of jade
as I wind its cotton string around my fingers
I can’t remember who gave it to me
(I did, later)
but this subdued light remained a stranger
it shed no light on the objects around it
as if sightless
sombre as the glint in a blind woman’s eyes
© 2006, Simon Patton
Round Jade
when the light goes out, darkness falls
when things settle, I see a patch of light
barely visible: what could it be?
this greenish glow, I’ve never noticed it before
next thing, my hand comes into contact with
a round piece of jade
as I wind its cotton string around my fingers
I can’t remember who gave it to me
(I did, later)
but this subdued light remained a stranger
it shed no light on the objects around it
as if sightless
sombre as the glint in a blind woman’s eyes
© 2006, Simon Patton
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