The Soul of My Poetry 文心

The soul of my poetry
 
is like the essence of water
 
following the same Way
 
sometimes so real
 
other times elusive
 
they can be wonderful
 
yet hard to understand.
 
 
When the Way manifests in my writing

It flows like water
 
swirling and creating ripples

spilling from the tip of my pen
 
causing waves from deepest origins.
 
 
When the Way manifest in water

Its ripples are mysterious

and hard to catch 

Bursting forth like a rainbow
 
with exquisite colors.
 

If the Way can be heard

Listen to the murmuring of the spring

If the Way can be seen

Watch the soft mist above a lake

Constantly gathering and departing
 

No longer can I tell apart
 
Whether it is the water or my writing
 
forever changing into endless forms
 
emerging from some intangible spring
 
that can erupt suddenly
 
with full power and majesty
 
outpouring and stretching
 
for a thousand miles.

(translated by Jennifer from the Chinese poem below by 元曦. 以上英文譯自元曦如下中文詩。)

文心水機  道出於一  亦真亦幻  至怪至奇

夫彼為文  淵洄如水  溢於筆端  為漣為漪

夫彼為水  譎詭其文  噴薄而出  如虹如霓

若夫可聽  鳴泉濺濺  若夫可賞  江煙合離

文焉水焉  變態萬狀  發於方寸  頃刻千里

圖片來源 Photo credit: Benny Zhang Studio