Shan Culture - Poems

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Traveler in a Dark Night - Young Tai

 

An old man with his son and grandson,

Traveling in a dark night,

Besides surrounding quiet silent,

When the cloud sometime thin,

Twinkle stars give them some light,

And the light just gone,

Beyond the storm rain dropped,

Non-stop! Non-stop! They are traveling….

 

They have no watch to seek the time,

They have no hat to cover their heads,

They have no shoes to save their feet,

They have no food to fill their stomachs,

Their footsteps setting their time,

Their thoughts cover their heads,

Their hearts have saved their pains,

Their hopes give them foods,

No smooth! No smooth! They are traveling….

 

Grandson crying, of hunger, tiredness and pain,

Missing his friends, brothers, sisters, mum, grandma and home,

The man forbears his wound, worrying about the ones left behind

Missing colleagues, beloved wife, children, old mum and home,

The old man felt very tired, pain, worrying about all events

Missing colleagues, beloved old wife, children, grandchildren and home,

But who knows the fate of them that they left behind?

That in burning home and burning place

That in front firing guns and firing laws

More hard! More hard!  They are facing……

 

On earth, who knows?

About these three human, victim travelers

Who are they?

Where they are from?

Where they are going to?

What and how they are suffering?

Except compassionate crying stars in the sky,

Except compassionate crying fireflies besides them,

Except the rough road that they step on,

Who hears their sound that calls for help?!!!!!!!

Who near along with share for felt?!!!!!!

Who dares denounce to lead them out?!!!!!!

On earth just like the wild one owns?!!!!!!

 

13th April 2006

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