Siblings

Thought a lot about my own older siblings these past few days. How much their opinions mean to me. Their love so precious. Their words so weighty.

[Triplet of 4 lines of 7 words. The first two poems were written by Nainai who sent them to her older brother who responded with the third.]

I was 17, having escaped from turmoil between Yang and Liu families to Aumen (Macau). One early morning at dawn.

Stars moon fade east sky turns white
Little yard rooster’s crow says it’s morning
How much autumn melancholy can you hold
Green window--all’s still--fixing my hair 

Written about the same time

Red leaves western breeze geese shadows few
By window expecting far dear one’s letter
Evening clouds so red through sparse woods
Don’t mind changes sadness live like hermit

Older brother commended poems--the Guangdong province Yangjiang county Secretary.

The postal carrier brought me a letter
Reading over over these words like gold
Our family genius poet talent needs celebration
Vision heart mind pure clean see light

It freaks me out how much I am like my grandmother. I always get sad in fall. Nearly without fail. Everything can be 'going right' and yet with that autumn smell I feel a twinge of depression.

And here is the entry for Gonggong. My mom's classical poetry note: there is an allusion to the 7th or 8th century poem by Dupu about wartime and wishing for a house big enough to shield all the poor people from the cold and wet. I love how Dupu's dream is nearly prophecy for Jesus' words in John 14:2. And I love that my grandfather valued inter-ethnic harmony and desegregation.
[8 lines of 7 words]

Sentian YMCA

I wrote this poem because when I went to Japan, I didn’t have much money and had to find a place to stay, to live. I lived at the Sentian YMCA because the manager helped all poor students in every way he could. He let me stay there. I think without him, I would not be here today. I wrote this to memorialize his graciousness and the help that he gave. Most the Chinese in Japan were very tribal and segregating. The YMCA was the only place that accepted people regardless of clan.

Roamer’s home where can you find one
Every remembrance brings deep feelings of gratitude
Big house open: a refuge from cold
Several doors: still evening entry remains unbarred
Most people in out strutting sophisticate scholars
Together their chat laughs blare hometown tones
Market stalls hundred kinds competing value deals
Really this place is (talent) worth 10,000 silver