The Desert Poplar

By Cheng Lie

I know it, the derelict and desolate
At center of vast yellow sand graveyard,
a power reaching out to the sky
must be the soul of the desert.
Perhaps there's a more precious honor than our life
it's no longer in this pathetic world,
and realy from the heaven
regains suffering
with roots buried deep in the earth
and brands it onto the ambition
to make it the last barrier against the boundless.
It sings, it's the last
or even the soul implanted underground,
even if it turns into dust after death,
and no longer needs to face darkness.
The eternal will be permanently surrounded
by quiet fires of the Hades.

2017/ translated by Chen Zihong

胡杨

程烈

我知这，苍凉与孤独
茫茫黄沙墓场的中心，
有一种伸向天空的力量
定是大漠的魂。
或许，一个比生命更珍贵的荣耀
早已不在可悲的人间，
它从上界修来了真身
用埋藏在大地深处的根，
将苦难赎回
烙在雄心之上
成为抵御苍茫最后的屏障。
它是最后的，要么歌唱
要么连灵魂也植入土地，
即便死后回落尘埃
也不再面对黑暗，
沉静的地火
将永久包裹在不朽周围。

2017年