Mr. Zhong Nanshan’s Monologue - Gong Xuan / 龚 璇

Gong Xuan / 龚 璇





Mr. Zhong Nanshan’s Monologue

I must go to Wuhan, to show
my sword to the magic bacteria
surging in the dark, and let the sharp
blade dipped with liquid medicine mop up
the desire of the coronavirus. So, on this very
winter night of city closure, I’d depart
with the spirit of reason and contempt
for the blunt demon moth

I must go to Wuhan, to pierce
through the skin of lies
with harsh words, and let
the world outside the body
reject the illusion of fate. There’s nothing
to be afraid of. It’s just
the head-on ashes, fleeting
in the emptiness
must go to Wuhan, to observe
the epidemic as closely and carefully
as I can, with my body wrapped tightly
in a white protective suit, and so to seize
every minute to mend the inner landscape, rather than
caring about the suspicious and envious
gossips and poppies scorching the lips

I must go to Wuhan, to watch
the self-proclaimed pest being nailed
to the moment of its crucifixion, and let it
become the mark of the blood and fade away
in the gap of light. Standing higher, like bathing
in fire, I bolster my departure and make myself
determined to track the shadow of the epidemic
that has been cut by the tail

The card of life and death, engraved with age and ambition, foretells
that the days of those vermin that have no soul are numbered

(Translated by Zhou Wenbiao)





钟南山的独白

我，必须去武汉。向暗涌的魔菌
亮剑。让浸泡药液的利刃
寂灭欲望的冠状病毒。封城的冬夜
以理性的锐气，藐视鲁钝的妖蛾

我，必须去武汉。以带刺的诤言
穿透谎言的皮囊。让身体之外的世界
拒绝命相的幻象。没什么了不起
它，不过是逆施的灰，在空茫中
转瞬即逝

我，必须去武汉。裹紧白色防护服
观察入微，修复内心的风景
无论白昼，或黑夜，时时刻刻
不为猜忌的私语，灼烫唇的罂粟

我，必须去武汉。看着兀自宣扬的伤害
它被钉上末日的一刻，滴血的记号
遁形光的间隙。我，站立更高处
浴火壮行，追踪断尾的疫影

一块生死牌上，刻着高龄与雄心
那些没有灵魂的灾虫，离死期已不远



***



Gong Xuan, from Taicang, Jiangsu, is a member of the Chinese Writers Association. As an amateur poet, Gong Xuan has published more than 300 works in various periodicals such as “Poetry Periodical”, “Chinese Writers”, “The Yangtze River Poetry Journal” and “Shanghai Literature”. He has written 6 collections of poems, e.g. “Far or Near”, “Burning”, “Love and Jiangnan”. Many of his works have been included in various anual selections. He has creatively established Jiangnan Folk Modern Poetry Pavilion. Moreover, he has won many awards, i.e. the 2012 Annual Poet of Poetry Monthly, and the 2016 Top Ten Poet of Modern Youth.


龚璇，江苏太仓人，中国作协会员。业余习诗，在《诗刊》、《中国作家》、《扬子江诗刊》、《上海文学》等多种报刊发表作品三百多篇。著有诗集《或远、或近》、《燃烧，爱》、《江南》等六部。创意建立江南民间现代诗歌馆。曾获诗歌月刊2012 年度诗人奖，2016 年现代青年杂志十佳诗人。