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River of Amsterdam
November, when the city enters nightthere’s only a river left
Suddenly—the oranges from my trees at homestart to shake off in the wind
I try closing the window, but it’s no useThe tide changes, but it’s no useA pearl-studded sun rises
but it’s no useDoves are scattering like iron shavingsWith the boys gone, the streets look abandoned
When the rain stopsthe rooftops are alive with snails—my homeland
floats slowly past me on the River of Amsterdam…
Netherlands1989 [End Page 155]
Duo Duo was born in Beijing. He was in exile for fifteen years and returned to China in 2004. His books in English translation include The Boy Who Catches Wasps (2002) and Snow Plain (2010). He is the first Chinese recipient of the Neustadt International Prize for Literature. In his poem “River of Amsterdam,” the word boys refers to the 1989 students.
