Poetry
HELEN JIA (西贝)
发散与收敛
灯光是发散的
灯罩使光收敛
由阴影的边界
光成为一些形状
这就是孤独
把悲哀
唱成一支歌的方式
太阳发散的光
在聚焦镜下收敛
聚成一个光点
无声地穿透落叶
冒出一缕轻烟
这就是绝望
把梦想
烧成一堆灰烬的过程
Diverging and Converging
Light from the lamp diverging
Is collected by the shade
Bordered against shadows
The light turns into shapes
This is how solitude
Pours grief
Into a song
Rays radiated from the sun
Collected by a magnifying lens
Converge into a spot of light
Quietly pierces fallen leaves
Making a wisp of smoke
This is how despair
Burns dream
Into a pile of ashes
矩阵
街头的广场
人, 一处处, 席地而坐，
看书 或聊天。
––––––相似的矩阵，
海狮，也都坐着，
晒着沙滩的太阳。
繁忙的大厅
人，一队队，站着
张望，或低头
––––––延伸的矩阵
企鹅, 也都相拥而立
等待季节的变迁。
清晨的地铁
人，一个个，手臂吊着
抓住头上的栏杆
––––––可逆的矩阵
猴子，也都吊着
攀援密密的丛林
Matrix
Town square
People, everywhere, sitting on the ground
Reading or chatting
–––––– Similar matrix,
Sea lions, also sit
On the beach basking in the sun
Busy lobby
People, in rows, standing
Looking around, or looking down
–––––– Extended matrix
Penguins, also stand close
Waiting for the seasons to change
Subway in early morning
People, each, with arms raised
Holding onto the overhead handrail
–––––– Inverse matrix
Monkeys, also dangle
To climb through dense jungle
Helen Jia (西贝) is a bilingual writer. Her poetry collection A Century of Serenity (China Youth Press, 2016) won the third prize of The 5th Zhongshan Literature Award, and her children’s poetry collection Moon River and Sky Town (Unity Press, 2020) was awarded the Wonderful Children’s Book in Shanghai in 2021.