SUNFLOWER IN THE SUN 

Have you seen it?

Have you seen that sunflower in the sunlight?

Look- she never lowers her head

but turns herself away

as if to chew away

that rope around her neck

that drags her in the hands of the sun.

Have you seen it?

Have you seen her lifting her head

that sunflower glaring at the sun?

Her head almost obscures the sun

Her head is still ablaze with light

even in the absence of the sun

Have you seen that sunflower?

You should approach it

When you come closer you will discover

underneath that patch of mudded soil

whenever you grasp a fistful

will always be gripped with blood

(Tr. by Sawako Nakayasu & Hai An)

———————

Mang Ke （1950-）, a native of Beijing, co-founded the poetry magazine Today with Bei Dao in 1978 and published books of poetry including Matters of the Heart, Sunflower in the Sun,Selected poems by Mang Ke, etc.

Click to enter the Chinese version