The newest issue of Circumference features poems by Ma Lan 马兰, translated by Charles Laughlin. Here’s from “Writing a Love Poem for a Tooth”为牙齿写首情诗:
2. As I am the freshly minted 2003 Poet Laureate of Bent-Neck Village, my dentist is a Yale PhD.He insisted that I do a deep cleaning.He stands on the Himalayas teaching Nepalese children to brush their teeth.
Brushing in the sunshine and smiles—modern industrial society takes smiling seriouslyThe snowy mountains flow downward.
2:作为新鲜出炉的2003年歪脖镇桂花诗人,我的牙医是耶鲁大学医学博士。
他坚持要我深度清洗牙齿.
他站在喜马拉牙山教尼泊尔的孩子学刷牙。
刷出阳光,刷出微笑。 现代工业社会讲究微笑。
雪山随流而下。