The Lightness Of Gardens (By Meng Lang) Poem by Denis Mair

by Meng Lang
(translated by Denis Mair)

Two gardens not far from each other
Crash together in a storm, making a noise

The room in each of the gardens
Rises on the tips of succulent plants
Or closes its inner eye in the trumpet of a flower

Two people looking out from different windows
The true owners of each garden
Stand side by side in the same room

Two people, having no wish or motive for dialogue
Wind blows away their first innocent speech:
"Let's go walking, two sinners that we are! "

Another gust of wind- -gust of accustomed desolation
Arms of the two owners are linked, tied into a knot
Two guiltless gardens, making way for each other
Carelessly injured by some gardener's clippers