Mouth Harp Maker

Whose mouth harp is glistening in the sunlightit looks so much like dragonfly wings.

1

In the valley surrounded by mountainsthe sound of his hammering travels through lonely, silent fogMusic will splash down like star-dewThe virgin forest will cease its dance steps in windSo let the male vibrationsin the fertile belly of the highland lakebegin an allianceof love and beauty

2

His aged handsare the highlands’ December riversflowing beige intonationsflowing fluctuating thoughtsslowlyshaping the gold, gold brass

3

A fish is swimming freely through his handsIts fins are bronze-colored wavesThe reef that he lifts higher and highercollides with golden fish scalesand thus many enchanting dragonfliesfly out from this fantastic world

4

Golden dragonfly wings will whirin the sun’s skyon the earth’s mountainson men’s foreheadson women’s lipson children’s earringsGolden dragonfly wings will whir

They’ll whir in the east,in the westfor yellow peoplefor red peoplefor black peoplefor white peopleThey’ll whir upstream in the Yangtze and Yellow RiversThey’ll whir downstream in the Mississippi RiverThis is the Nuosu people’s voice from ancient timesThis is the Nuosu people’s voice from the soul

5

When the moon rises from behind the great mountainlove stands like rocks upon the hillslingering dragonfliesrushing dragonfliessweet dragonfliesalight on young women’s chestsThese noiseless morning-glory blossomsbreathe alone facing starlit skies

All these pairs of golden dragonfly wings are whylove on this land is so enduring

6

If the land loses the fluttering sound of golden wingsIf the land loses friendly shouted repliesthen this world will be deathly silentthen this land will be desolateWhat could cause more hopelessnessWhat could cause more sorrow

7

Humankind is making the proteins of life

Humankind is making nuclear atoms of deathPicasso’s peace dovewill fly side by side with the bomber’s wingsover people’s headspast plainspast mountainspast rivers flyingflying past nameless deep ravines flying pastOur elders have already made ten thousand romancesOur elders have already made a thousand sunsLook, right now, these golden dragonfly wingsare flying toward the homelands of all Peoples

8

One day he’ll die in silencestopping his breath for eternal loveWhen that happens, a swarm of beautiful butterflieswill fly in circles around his serene headThey’ll flash their pure gold wings andthe Nuosu people of this land who love to singwill carry his body and walktoward that sun that never dies