ABOUT AUGUST by Black Camel

ABOUT AUGUST

by Black Camel

Further south is endless lands, enveloped by a blanket of impenetrable

mist. Now we are in August,

my curiosity has overcome fears, greater than the loftiness and bleakness

of the wild west.

Let's go further north…

Oh, please, stop soaring, fold in your wings.

Don't be resentful, don't exasperate, don't blind yourself,

take a closer look, there is a good story before us, too.

Someone on the first floor is rinsing vegetables.

Someone on the second floor is washing dishes.

Someone on the third floor is doing laundry.

Someone on the fourth floor is taking a shower.

Someone on the fifth floor is drying her hair.

Now let us go further up, you'll see people on the open roof;

they are lying there, watching clouds

or listening to the wind,

free of possessions, free of

thoughts.

About the poet:

Black Camel, also known as Meng Zilan, was born in Tianshui, Gansu Province and mostly resides in Shenzhen. In 2001, he put forward the concept of "two difficulties of poetry" and created poems using it as the criterion for good poetry. In 2012, he published his poetry collection Merciful Violence. He strongly advocates that "text is king" for poetry. Since 2011, he has independently edited Chinese Annual Poetry Canon. He currently serves as a poetry judge of the World Chinese Poetry Alliance.