孟浪：世界图景

WORLD PICTURE

by Meng Lang, translated from the Chinese by Denis Mair

Far away, a dust column in the storm takes solid form

People who lean against the wind to keep themselves erect

Are like one speechless statue after another

The storm enters its fiercest hour

I have seen so much immobility

The distance – how far is it from me after all?

I walk toward it, as if going to martyrdom, but to what end?

Let me disappear into the storm

Behind the giant dust column

Behind those people leaning in the storm

Further than far!

Hands that have touched the storm cannot be drawn back

Another individual commits himself

The eye of the storm, secret of distance

A crowd turned still in the storm

Writhing, exchanging blows, who can still see it?

Who is still unmoved in the distance?

All have been swept in, all are unable to leave

All are still, have disappeared

I want to raise a cry, who can still hear?

The cries I have raised…sift earthward like a dust column

Where has the storm gotten to now?

Far away, so much immobility remains

Resembling a picture I cannot move aside

Yet all this is beyond my ability to touch

I am weak, prey to the speechlessness of this world scene

Such impact keeps me from taking even a step

Too far away, too lacking in aim

The storm's passing leaves me bereft of a goal

The crowd has begun walking, begun making conversation

Coming and going from houses just emerged as if from a backdrop

Within an imagined, unstoppable storm

Such is the ordained tragedy I find myself in

Martyrdom is right here, no need to go far

No one can see, no one can hear

A person's sacrifice is worthwhile

Because of it the dust cloud rises in glory

The statuesque tableau of the crowd takes on meaning

Myself, a starting point and contributing cause of storms

Grill me with questions, stare me down, you in the crowd!

I have already shouted my answer

Far away, hidden in the distance of my spirit

boundless open sky, within silence, will not be stopped from rising!