Unsent Message

[Changming Yuan]

for five million minutes
    that is almost ten long years
i have never seen your silhouette
    nor heard or heard of your voice
but in the closet of my heart
i have been dusting your name
	my most pleasant pain
	and my most painful pleasure
.

for myriads of moments to come
    be that as long as ten thousand solid days
i will never seduce my hand to reach you
    nor even to search your silent site (if any)
yes, it is enough to simply assume
        we are still in the same world
although a whole universe apart
	your home remains in my soaked soul
	and my soul remains you humble home


.

First appeared in First Time (2005).

[Shell]

the ache is palpable .. the tentative peace/acceptance of:

yes, it is enough to simply assume
we are still in the same world
although a whole universe apart

definitely an inner journey i know very well.

having read several of your poems now, Changming, i am awed. you have a very distinctive rhythm and a uniqueness of breath/pace that is totally absorbing ... absolutely wonderful poetry!

[Changming Yuan]

thanks very much, dear Shell, for your encouraging comments on my work! during the summer, i made a trip back to china and for the first time in the past 27 years spent some (quite strange) moments with the person for whom i wrote the poem. i did not feel so disappointed as i had expected, though. again, thanks a lot, Shell!