Insisting

All is growing that all the grass, trees,

and all our babies, even all

the skyscrapers, graveyard stones are growing

in this spring afternoon.

Shining is all living and dying, soaring is

all the blood beats of this metropolitan city.

You insist to be a graceful tree,

You insist to be a fish swimming silently.

You know so well what you love

but always afraid of asking for love.

You feel the city is becoming your rude lover

but can’t help with your unyielding love of it.

All is growing at this sensual spring afternoon,

all the excitement, anguish, and all the grieves.

You insist to pray for a peace,

You insist to involve in all passions.

The Way We Live Unconsciously

I walked into a city in the spring and

immediately fell in love with it

before I ignored its noisy and crowed body

with scattered cigarette butts and empty bottles;

before I could barely hold myself from blowing underneath

to the cars in a windy day, crossing street;

before I’d seen all its old and fresh desires, smiles

and all its old and fresh wounds, anguishes.

I was afraid of its arrogance and imperiousness

but why my roots keep on growing right here?

and I hear people complain at any time, whenever

feeling weary, but still here hold the city as a lover?

The city is always poised and keeps its flame so that

we just ignore why we still feel fired up at anytime.

I know spring was not the reason but I fell in love

with this city immediately before

I realized that each night the city calmly lulled me

into its bright and warm darkness.


芝加哥是我钟爱的城市，也许因为芝加哥很大气，很阳刚，所以我对这个城市的感觉很像对一个钟情的男人的感觉。