This poem was originally composed in Chinese and has been translated into English by the translator, Yan Li.
“White Roses”
He takes off his socks
Throws them into the basin on the floor, turns around
And leaves
Outside, heavy snow
Facing the cold wind, he walks alone
Walking non-stop
He thinks of the peace of the past
And the familiar unfamiliar faces outside the window
And the sound of a door closing in the corridor at this moment
Across the road
Quite far away
Maybe separated from him by a river
It is said that on the other side of the river, in May
People have seen trees there
Covered with white flowers, like roses
To observe the posture of a tree in different periods of time
Requires persistence
Or still have
Many such trees around
Or none –
Not a single one.