Something Like Coffee (By Yan Li) Poem by Denis Mair
Something Like Coffee (By Yan Li)
by Yan Li
(translated by Denis Mair)
Add sugar and cream
Add the Western setting of a coffee shop
Add a hubbub of market indexes and real estate
This discussion in which assets practically come alive
Has become the daily flavor of Chinese life
In the past no need for sugar
No cream
No need for stirring with industrial metal spoons
Through the living quarters of the people
Wafted smells of a brownish-black concoction
Astringency brewed from products of yellow earth
Even the doctors of today cannot deny
Were it not for a fluke of distribution
Chinese medicine from thousands of years ago
Would send forth the aroma of something like coffee
Privileged to read the translation. Thank you for the share. Surely would like to know much about ancient Chinese medication. Because I know a little on this
Thanks for stopping by to read this, Queeny. I have posted translations of several other poems by Yan Li. He would have had a chance to learn Chinese medicine from his grandfather, but unfortunately that gentleman died in political upheavals when Yan Li was 12 years old. In another poem, you can read of Yan Li's regrets over missing his chance to learn about medicine: ACHING FOR YOUR PAIN.
Yan Li has written this poem very beautifully about expressive social behavior. Your translation has added more values here. Ancient Chinese medicine heals many. An amazing sharing is done here.10
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
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5/8/2024 6:50:18 AM # 1.0.0.1119
Prolific piece indeed....thank u, friend....