WANG Zang: To My Darling Wife
Translated by Yiyan Han (c) last modified 2023-07-11
Mr WANG Zang๏ผ็่๏ผis a Chinese poet, film and television screenwriter and painter, human rights defender, and member of the Chinese Free Culture Movement. He was arrested in May 2020 by the Chinese authorities on charges of "inciting subversion of state power". The image is a screenshot of a tweet by his wife Mrs WANG Li๏ผ็้บ๏ผ.
You are so headstrong, like a hardy goldthread, (*)
to support me a wanderer for my anger, weakness,
fear,ย wildness, and even embarrassment
You endure our earthly apart so that while being apart
the union of our apart body and soul
is made possible, much colourful
We both are fugitives, but nowhere to escape.
This makes the daily mundane rice, oil, salt,
sauceย and vinegar look like a romantic dinner plate
You seldom express your feelings publicly,
yet you dare hold our kids tightly
shout at the cage that cuts us apart, louder than a crow
A poem isn't for a chat between you and me, serious or frivolous
When you change a nappy, and I lift the baby,
it's this chat of life that matters
Like 5 Pin it 2Footnote:
ย (*) The Chinese goldthread. The speaker likely refers to Coptis teeta, an alpine plant which grows naturally in the shade of cold and damp forests between 1500-2300 meters above sea level in his birthplace, Yunnan.
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Comments
I enjoy VERY much your intent..
BUT....your use of the English
language still has work to be done
BUT......your poetic nature is quite
exotic!!
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Exceptional Ideology!!
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Peace
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย T
Thank you Tony very much for your honest comments :) Yes I'm still keen to improve my language skills in poem writing. Would also much appreciated ifย any specific misuses were pointed out. Regards, Yiyan
Later added:
"apart" is a key word in this translation.
The source of inspiration: Gerard Manley Hopkins, My Own Heart Let Me More Have Pity Onย - let,ย torment,ย self.
Beautiful recollections in an ugly world .. I am so glad you found me earlier which prompted me to find this page and to learn more about you sir .. A most enjoyable visit .. Thank you,ย Neville.