Double Double Ninths

- September 9th is a minor holiday about climbing high, also called Double Sun or Double Ninths

My grandmother found this poem when she was cleaning one day. She was 15 when she wrote this poem, and was just beginning to learn to write poems. She never imagined finding this poem after 50 years. The ninth day of ninth month is a special day when you're supposed to climb to a high place, it's not too hot and not too cold. Climb a mountain and drink. She remembered that year when she was 15 she was with her two older brothers, an old family friend named Liwu, and a couple other friends. They all went to a mountain in Guangzhou. There was a restaurant on the mountain, and they drank and ate crab. Among these people, Liwu had gone to the capital to take government job tests seven times. He never passed, even after trying seven times. They held national exams every three years. So he had been taking them over 20 years. He was full of bitterness and only did insignificant odd jobs like writing articles for pay in the newspaper. My grandmother thought this was a dreadful regrettable thing. He was always complaining and made a great impression on my grandmother. Even though this was a long time ago, and by now everyone had passed away, she still remembered it like it was yesterday. As if everything replayed in front of her eyes. The passing of time, you cannot call it back. "I didn't expect to live so long. At that time I was a little girl, and now I'm old grandma with white hair. When I think of that year, I feel sad. All these people were cultured, they knew how to write poems. I was just beginning to write poems. Whatever I wrote, I didn't know what I was talking about." 

There's a mountain village at Treasure Peak
Bamboo fence grass roof like home town
Double Sun special to climb high event
Together seek remote place to raise glass
Here away from city few menu options
Only a crab dish with local fragrance
Around table sophisticate literati all grown ups
Lucky along side listening learn more increase

- chrysanthemum flower, Chinese people like these, loyal, in tough times they still bloom and are green representing strength of character and integrity. 
- During WWII, Chinese philosophy: if you are a general during the war, and you win, good. If you lose, you do not surrender or become captured. Fight to death or kill yourself. Becoming a prisoner of war is a great shame.
- nighttime is metaphor for end of your life

Double Ninth Writing Sentiments
Written three or four years after I was released from jail. The last two lines of this poem talks about people, including quite a few of my acquaintances, who changed allegiances to Japan. I sigh for them and their hard circumstances in becoming what most people label traitors. 

Old friend asked me celebrate Double Sun
Thin wine nevertheless need drink several rounds
Misting rain sheets sheets breezy ocean air
Golden wind puffs puffs sparkly autumn light
Withered waterlily teeters falls barely shows color
Wilted chrysanthemum dried sparse hardly smells fragrant
Blame not yellow flower failing nighttime faithfulness
Double Sun's wind rain too devastating ruinous