Moths/ Withered Tree/ Fates of Difference/ The Pilose Beggarticks Along The Hill Road

original poem〈飛蛾〉
english translation by Jeats

Moths

Moths fled to the lamp 

Swallows caught them all

Many moths were flying to the street lamps. At the same time, ten swallows, more or less, were circling around the lamps fast back and forth and biting away those moths. Though eaten away one by one by swallows, moths still were concentrated on their goal without any fear to get away and any hesitation to cease proceeding. They just fled up to the lights; that seemed to be their destiny. However, ironically, almost all the moths were bitten away before they touched up their goal. Less than ten minutes, all the moths were the delicious dinner to swallows. Then, it was all in silence outside the window (The scene I saw at my dinner in Mosburger’s.)





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original poem〈枯樹〉
english translation by Jeats

Withered Tree

Cranky withered trees 

Generous for Muller’s barbet birds to nest 

On the tree trunk inside

Recently I took a walk along the Gi-Nan Mountain. Some withered tree trunks were filled with nest holes dug by Muller’s barbet birds. Among those some were new. I saw time after time Muller’s barbet birds put forward food inside tree trunks. Baby birds were born!


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original poem〈不同的命運〉
english translation by Jeats

Fates of Difference

Though they stood tall with backs up 

Afraid not of falling stones and storms

Yet not free of the electric saw

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original poem〈山徑旁的咸豐草〉
english translation by Jeats


The Pilose Beggarticks Along The Hill Road


The grass along the hill road grew long
Butterflies fled in dance gracefully 
Taiwan scimitar babblers crossing the mountain road occasionally
Red-headed tree babblers singing with heads out of the grass


The grass along the hill road grew longer
They mowed the grass flat
Like the green on the golf filed
No more singing of red-headed tree babblers


The grass along the hill road grew longer
They mowed the grass flat
A whole slabs of stone was paved on
Everyone could stand here and watch Taipei 101
But no more crossing of Taiwan scimitar babblers


The grass along the hill road grew longer
Out from the cracks of slabs of stone
A few butterflies dropped by

The grass along the hill road grew longer
They mowed the grass flat
They excavated the paved slabs of stone
And filled up the cement to make a platform
And built a pavilion there
Everyone could sit here to get cool
And watch Taipei 101


The grass is to grow no more
Whether or not butterflies are to come back
Whether or not Taiwan scimitar babblers are to cross here 
Whether or not red-headed tree babblers still are to sing here
But The grass is to grow no more
Everyone could sit here to get cool
And watch Taipei 101