Autumn Evening Poem by Shaojun Li

The partridge hidden inside the Boshen temple called out dusk
By the Jinshui brook bridge, stars and a few folks appeared over the lawn
Clean and calm fragrance emerged from Osmanthus flowers
In contrast to the mundane myriad of twinkling lights from the town

The busy night life under splendor lights
Folks are cooking, eating, chatting and cleaning
Families are watching TV around the couch, a person is messaging on Wechat
Every window shows shadows of people moving about

I am standing on a higher ground nearby, watching them
As if a deserted me among all these
The darkness and loneliness are shared between me and them
As well as the moonlight and tranquility

(transl. by Shelley Kristina Hu)