Poems by Chen Hsiu-chen陳秀珍（Taiwan）

Flag旗

The color of petals painted Prizren hillside
looks like a red handkerchief
hanging in the early winter dusk
confronting my eyes
longing for warm.

It also looks like a sail
heading for my sleepless midnight
approaching to my heart
surrounded by sea.

In early morning
a flag
is waiting for your wind
to wave
let me recognize
whether a sign to hello
or farewell.

（English Translation by Lee Kuei-shien）

旗Flag

塗染普里茲倫*山坡花瓣顏色
像一條紅色手絹
掛在初冬黃昏
面對我
索求溫暖的眼睛

像一面風帆
航向我失眠的午夜
朝向我四面環海的心
靠近

清晨
一面旗
等待你的風
拂動
我始能辨識
旗在向我招手
或
揮別

*普里茲倫（Prizren），位於科索沃南部的歷史古城

Tree and leaves樹與葉

The letter has energy
I hug it tightly when shivering
The letter may glow
I hug it deeply in the dark
The letter is a prophet
I hug it hard when I am in distress
The letter is a warrior
I hug it when I am weak

I hug the letter
as if a branch holds the leaves firmly
When the letter becomes
unbearable weight of life
I will start to release the leaves one by one
waiting for the tree ring to wake up the new leaves
in another season.

（Translated by Lee Kuei-shien）

樹與葉Tree and leaves

文字是能量
寒顫時我緊緊擁抱他
文字會發光
黑暗中我深深擁抱他
文字是先知
困阨時我用力擁抱他
文字是勇士
軟弱時我死命擁抱他

我擁抱文字
像樹枝牢牢抓住樹葉
當文字變成
生命不可承受之重
我開始一片一片釋放葉子
靜待年輪再次喚醒另一季
新葉