HONGRI YUAN - POEMS

Hongri Yuan, born in China in 1962, is a poet and philosopher interested particularly in creation. Representative works include Platinum City, The City of Gold , Golden Paradise , Gold Sun and Golden Giant. His poetry has been more widely published in the UK, USA ,India ,New Zealand, Canada and Nigeria.

Poems translated by Manu Mangattu
Assistant Professor, Department of English
St George College Aruvithura, Indiaa

​The Nectar Song

​A sieve of my soul I weave with lightning of time
And cast it into the interstellar sea of heavens.
My giant city of ancient times exists till date
Where my golden smile still blossoms forth.
The giant words flash about in Space
Sprinkling the nectar song from my memory.
Lo! It helps you grow massive wings
To return to the forlorn Paradise of Gods;
The same that has been overlooked a thousand years
The eternal kingdom of heaven which knows no years!

​The Future Kingdom of Giants

​Though I might regret for myself when I turn dust
As I bid goodbye to this world,
I know there exists in the scrapbook of heaven
A gorgeous image of mine that often smiles to me in dreams;
That my olden words are engraved on primeval stones,
Yes! The apocalypse from the gods of heaven and earth!
I shall then be a future giant, to have carved
The platinum city of giants in the future Kingdom of giants.

​An Outer Wonderland

​Every tree is a philosopher.
Their roots took shape in the body of the earth;
Their domes bathed in the music of sun and stars.
To the black loneness in my bones I listened;
I saw the ancient flowers from paradise.
A giant from mountains gave me an embroidered mirror,
Which mirrored a layered outer wonderland.

​A Picture Scroll of the Kingdom of Heaven

​When you wake up in a dream of hell
And make a return to the city of giant
The garden of the sky will float ethereal flowers of gold to you;
From a ladder that gyrates to a lofty palace over mountain-tops
The prehistoric king of giants shall give you
A picture scroll of the kingdom of heaven.

​The Starry Outer Paradise

​As you start to seek your smiling soul in the realm of mystery
Learn you shall that the world is just a window;
That the kingdoms of soul are everywhere;
You will find the invisible kingdom of gold in the desert,
Hear the intoxicating nectar-like music from heaven
That death is but a Madadayo dance of smoke
To return to the starry outer paradise on heaven’s vault.