Afternoon light after today's rain

 

I CAN BREATHE LIKE GREEN GRASS

I can breathe like green grass

on very high riverbanks

there is a bottomless water valley below

as black as the back of a catfish

the riverwater in the distance slowly turns transparent

flowing directly toward the opposite sandbank

where the undulations are full of temptation

where the weary sunlight is resting

farther away there is a stretch of sparkling green forest
which registers every movement and gesture of the wind
in which there are always lovely flowers
that never tie their purple scarves any tighter

ants are carrying away the sandy earth
they are never worried by love
carefree wild bees are singing
dedicating a song to all of the flowers

I can breath like green grass
I tell my light dreams to Spring
I wish I could sing so many songs
and never let my only smile disappear

from Selected Poems of Gu Cheng, page 63.

There isn't much more to say. There was beautiful after-rain light in the late afternoon. I had picked out this poem for the blog last night, just before I went to bed. Sleep well.