Images of An Early Summer Night During the Time of the War Lords

28 the minnesota review WenYiduo Wen Yiduo was the main theorist for the Crescent Society, a group offormalist Chinese poets, who wrote during the early and mid twentieth century. He was assassinated aftergiving a public speech in 1946. Images of An Early Summer Night During the Time of the War Lords Sunset leaves the poet a troubled night. The night is forced to give up its secrets: Dew scatters beneath the sky's purple vault. The poet thinks they're beads to string for the dead. A cold wind rakes a starved willow's dry hair. Reflected lamp light in a pond twists like a snake. Hanging mid-mountain, a horribly crippled cypress Shakes skinny, black fists; challenges air. The frogs haven't slept. Shouldn't they be tired? But they croak even louder their swamp's anthem. All the village dogs bark with such agony. Why can't they break the thieves' courage? An army train chews fire, spits smoke, claws an iron ladder. A poisonous snake in khaki screams as if alive. The night watch's bronze-tongued bell asks everyone To relax, go back to sleep. And they believe it. Hey God! Can't you see this degraded universe? Can't you feel the chill? Hey, Benevolent God! —Translated by Robert Dorsett and S. W Ko ...