Dead Water

Dead Water is a poem originally written by Wen Yiduo.^{^[1]^[2]}

Zhang Ye's Version[]

“

This is a bleak pool of dead water,

where no breeze can raise a ripple.

One may as well throw in metal scraps

and leftover food!

Perhaps the metal will turn into emeralds,

the rusty cans into peach blossoms,

the grease will weave a silken gauze,

and the mold will rise and become twilight clouds.

Let the dead water ferment into a green wine,

in which white foam floats like pearls."

Tiny pearls giggle and turn into big pearls,

then get broken by pilfering mosquitoes.

Perhaps a bleak pool of dead water

is fair, after all.

If the frogs get lonely,

they can bring music to the place.

This is a bleak pool of dead water!

Where beauty cannot reside!

One may as well let the Devil cultivate it!

And see what kind of world he will create!!!"

”