Past and present
He carried five shopping bags
Heavy for so many steps
Down was elevator.
In the long hall, corridor
A Chinese
A total stranger
Of his language unaware
Familiar, only Shien-Shien.
Old Chinese spoke mandarin
Tone of his voice clear:
“Let me help.”
The scene was strange
Scent of humanity filled the air
Regardless of skin, race, colour.
He was hesitant
Chinese insisted; succeeded
Grabbed two of the five bags.
Motions talked, eyes bragged
Into his shopping he dipped a hand
Brought out a strawberry pack.
The Chinese did not take
Both smiled: Shien-Shien
A world apart…brothers.
“Such things…”
He thought: “are rare, do not come
with machines, text and computers…”
Then sighed:
“They taught us care and love
Not force of baton, with law…”
And he withdrew in his lonely den.
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem