Illustration by Arty Guava
Whenever she is unable to fall asleep
She would snuggle herself
In the heart of darkness, waiting
For me to hold her tight
From behind her back like light, but
She forgets that she is already dead
Her ashes were buried in my memory
Long before they rise with the sun
Today, on the other side of her world
Author’s note: This poem is inspired by Qi Hong (祁红).
Yuan Changming grew up in an isolated village, started to learn the English alphabet in Shanghai at age nineteen and published monographs on translation before leaving China. Holding a Canadian PhD in English, Yuan currently lives in Vancouver, where he edits Poetry Pacific with Allen Yuan. With 15 total Pushcart nominations for poetry and fiction, Yuan’s writing has been featured in Best of the Best Canadian Poetry, Best New Poems Online and 2,197 other publications across 52 countries. A former poetry juror of Canada’s National Magazine Awards, his recent prose – including his ‘silver romance’ The Tuner, short story collection Flashbacks and the forthcoming CNF collection Return to Roots – explores the “hyperrealistic” intersection of cultural identity and spiritual cultivation.