Y

Xing Hua Temple

why is it the Buddha –
far from the madding crowd on the hill –
sits lounges an air of serenity, over a lotus throne
while Jesus has his blood shed
on a Good Friday cross?

I'll go upstairs with you
and we'll see the gilt-decked Buddha
projecting dazzling gold
in a world of fireworks

you served the Buddha
with incense and prayer
I didn't stoop
to words of long life or good luck

one always ends up hitting the wall
Bodishattvas climb down at last
the rail on which she leans overlooks
inequalities among the world's mountains

(translated by Kit Kelen)

《大兴华寺》

为什么菩萨
都供奉在远离尘嚣的山上
端坐于莲花宝座，神态安详
而不像耶稣，表情痉挛
在十字架上流血受难

我陪你拾阶而上
终于看到菩萨身披黄金
在俗世的烟火中
射出耀眼的金光

你向菩萨奉香祈愿
我却没有俯身
也没有念念有词
祈望长寿与吉祥

我只想走进围栏
把菩萨请下宝座
与她一起凭栏远眺
这人间不平的群山

Part 9 of Yao Feng’s ‘Cape Verde Fragments’

being surrounded by the sea is a destiny 

it will never turn around 

it stands on the reefs, commanding you to sing

you don’t have much 

but singing makes you wealthy 

because of song 

birds fly out from your throat

because of singing

flowers come up through the stones 

(translated by Kit Kelen and Fei Chen)