OLD-STYLE COURTYARD *

A Sihe Courtyard, emerges from flower shadows in autumn

At night, the fragrance of sweet osmanthus submerges dreams of sound sleeper

All around are the familiar relatives

——parents and sisters

all in sound sleep

It is my greatest dream of a travellor

Who roves over a strange land

* Siheyuan Courtyard referes to a Chinese traditional courtyard with building on four sides.

Sense of Hometown

I’ve exchanged views with people here and there

They all have an opionated but varied sense of hometown

 A beam of dawnlight projected from that end of the alley

Shines the steaming hot breakfast store

Shouts to grind scissors and knives

…all this is a sense of hometown evoked by the fall wind

There are also people who highlight warm March and

apricot Blossoms in south of the River

In printed umbrellas in the long lanes

Beautiful maids knitted with lilac-like lament

But, what is more striking is a wanderer’s sleep-talking

Only when thick grass in the courtyard somewhat lie

waste Is there a sense of hometown, and broad leaves

Green and yellow, grow and fall…

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Li Shaojun, born in November 1967, a native of Xiangxiang, Hunan province. In 1989, he graduated from Department of Journalism of Wuhan University. His main works are Nature, Grass Roots, Station in the Coming of God and so on. He has been hailed as a “Nature Poet”. He was formerly editor-in-chief of Tianya magazine, vice chairman of Hainan provincial Federation of Literary and Art Circles.  Now he is the  Editor-in-Chief of Poetry Magazine

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