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The Trolley Car Goes On
- Minnesota Review
- Duke University Press
- Number 32, Spring 1989 (New Series)
- p. 79
- Article
- Additional Information
79 Yan Yi The Trolley Car Goes On Who would have thought I'm really old enough For young people to show me sympathy? No sooner did I climb aboard the trolley, Than a young man stood and helped me to his seat. I gratefully accepted and sat down, Yet now and then my heart felt some disturbance. It's I who should have offered him a seat— My shoulders won't bear heavy loads again. It's I who should have offered him a seat— He'll carry loads far heavier than I did. Longer, more rugged paths are waiting for him, He'll have to scale much higher, steeper mountains! He's the one who should have saved his strength, But there he stood, hand locked upon the strap. I gave the seat back to the brave young man And shamefully got off before my stop, Propelling myself into deepest thought, Confounding my disturbed heart all the more. Translated by Edward Morin and Dennis Ding ...