Ten Nights Ten Nights Poem by Bai Hua

Ten nights, ten nights in a row
Autumn is near, leaves turn yellow
your teacher is thinning away
my books, my body
O, my, my, my
my every hour, every second
my stern left eye ticks in place of a heart

Ten nights, all things heavy have gone to sleep
Ten nights, spring and panther after sexual intercourse
the north and the south all asleep

Ten nights in a row, I lie on my bed
Ten nights in a row, ten nights oppress my heart

Ten nights, ten nights
the journey of ten nights surveys from afar
the youth of ten nights has forgotten the ideals

Ten nights, ten nights
I bring my shame to your center
both hands down, asking for your forgiveness

Ten nights, I hear another song
Ten nights, I hear trees
crashing on all trees
thundering in the sky I name

Translated from the Chinese by Fiona Sze-Lorrain