Artist: Li Jian (李健) •Also performed by: Xu Fei
Song: 父亲写的散文诗 (Fù qīn xiě de sǎn wén shī)

父亲写的散文诗

一九八四年 庄稼还没收割完
儿子躺在我怀里 睡得那么甜
今晚的露天电影 没时间去看
妻子提醒我 修修缝纫机的踏板
明天我要去 邻居家再借点钱
孩子哭了一整天啊 闹着要吃饼干
蓝色的涤卡上衣 痛往心里钻
蹲在池塘边上 狠狠 给了自己两拳

这是我父亲日记里的文字
这是他的青春留下 留下来的散文诗
多年以后 我看着泪流不止
我的父亲老得 像一个影子

一九九四年 庄稼早已收割完
我的老母亲去年 离开了人间
儿子穿着白衬衫 跑进了校园
可他最近有些心事 瘦了一大圈
想一想未来 我老成了一堆旧纸钱
那时的儿子已是 真正的男子汉
有个可爱的姑娘 和他成了家
但愿他们能 不要活得如此艰难

这是我父亲日记里的文字
这是他的生命 留下 留下来的散文诗
多年以后 我看着泪流不止
我的父亲已经老得 像一个影子

这是我父亲 日记里的文字
这是他的生命 留下 留下来的散文诗
多年以后 我看着泪流不止
我的父亲在风中 像一张旧报纸

这是那一辈人留下的足迹
几场风雨后就要 抹去了痕迹
这片土地曾让我泪流不止
它埋葬了多少人 心酸的往事
唔~唔，呼~呼

A poem written by Dad

1984,the crops are not done harvest yet.
My son is sleeping soundly on my chest.
No time to catch a movie at the open cinema tonight.
My wife reminds me of fixing the sewing machine stand.
I am going to borrow some money from the neighbor again tomorrow.
To think that my child has cried profusely wanting a piece of cookie.
Wearing my usual blue khaki jacket, and feeling an intense pain drilling into my heart.
As I squatting down near to a pond, and give myself a couple of heavy punches.’

This were the words written on my Dad’s diary.
This is the poem that he left in the expense of his youth life.
Its been a few decades, and I am still tearful after reading it every time.
But my dad has aged, unnoticeable by people just like a shadow

‘1994, the crops has been harvested much earlier.
My beloved mother has passed away last year.
My son put on his uniform and went for a school.
But he is having some hard time lately, and slimmed down significantly.
When I think about the future, after I pass away.
My son probably has mature and grown become a real man by that time.
He will marry the young sweet lady who he love dearly and form a family.
I wish that they would not go through poverty and suffer just like me.”

This were the words written on my Dad’s diary.
This is the poem that he has left for me with the last breath of his life.
Its been a few decades, and I am still tearful after reading it every time.
But my dad has aged, unnoticeable by people just like a shadow

This were the words written on my Dad’s diary.
This is the poem that he has left for me with the last breath of his life.
Its been a few decades, and I am still tearful after reading it every time.
But my father has long gone just like an old newspaper carried away by the wind.
This are the footprints left by the person of previous generation.
The mark will vanish after laden by numerous rain and storms.
This piece of soil has set me into tears in the past.
as It has buried countless people’s sorrowful past.

Submitted by Mikki Perry

The Prose of my Father

It’s 1984. The crop has to be reaped.
My son is in my arms, soundly asleep.
The outdoor film tonight, got no time to watch.
Wife reminds me to fix the sewing machine’s pedal.
Gotta lend more money from my neighbor tomorrow.
My child cried the whole day, begging for cookies.
Beneath the blue khaki coat the shame drills in my heart.
Right by the pond I punched myself twice.

These are lines from the diary of my father.
They are what his youth left, left in prose.
My tears flow as I read them years later.
But my father is already old like a fading shadow.

It’s 1994. The crop is reaped long ago.
The year before my old mom passed away.
My son wears a white shirt and runs into the school.
But he’s been weary these days and lost much weight.
Someday I will become a pile of old joss paper.
By then my son will have become a real man.
A lovely girl would marry him.
I hope life won’t be as tough for them.

These are lines from the diary of my father.
They are what his life left, left in prose.
My tears flow as I read them years later.
But my father is already old like a fading shadow.

These are lines from the diary of my father.
They are what his life left, left in prose.
My tears flow as I read them years later.
But my father is like an old newspaper in the wind.

These are the footprints of their generation.
After all the winds and rains, its trace will be gone.
I once couldn’t stop my tears upon this land.
How many heartbroken tales has it buried?
Wu~wu, hu~hu

Submitted by hankeat