THE CANALS OF AMSTERDAM

A city in November at nightfall:
There are only the canals of Amsterdam
Suddenly,
The oranges on the tree at my house
Quiver in the autumn wind
I shut the window, it’s useless
The river flows backwards, to no avail
The sun, inlaid with pearls, has risen
It doesn’t help.
Flocks of pigeons whirl down like iron filings
Streets, devoid of boys, suddenly look empty.
After the autumn rains,
those roofs full of crawling snails
—my homeland
slowly pass over the canals of Amsterdam…

Duo Duo, China 1951
Translation: Anna Keiko – Germain Droogenbroodt – Stanley Barkan