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THE CHINESE SENSE OF REALITY COMES FROM AN UNIMAGINABLY POWERFUL ACTUALITY
The necessary connection’s found
The necessary cash doled out
But the friend’s loan
Is yet to be granted
The reason’s quickly uncovered
The bird sent to the bank manager
Was two hours late
Burning with impatience
He’d taken Viagra
And his golden gun wouldn’t fall
Just bluntly sticking out there
A burning desire
Idly wasting away
Dry wood and a raging flame
Ultimately reduced to a single shot
And a fury
That can only be resolved by revenge
And so nothing was done
“Just because of this?”
“Just because of this!”
The friend’s calm
Makes me ashamed
Of my shock
As a writer
I’m ignorant of reality
And if I write it as it is
Afraid even more ignorant readers
Will shout “beat the fraud”

© Yi Sha


© Translation: 2007, Simon Patton, Tao Naikan, Michael M. Day