I was watching ships go by in Hamburg on 3.5.2013, the time when Elbphilharmonie was under construction. As I was watching ships and clouds, a poem came to my mind. I’ve written a post about this: 在Hamburg二零一三年五月三日邂逅的云.
The blog is written in Chinese, now I translated the poem in English. Ladies and gentlemen, let me present to you: Coincidence/ Ou Ran by Xu ZhiMo.
I am a cloud in the sky
Coincidentally projected on the water of your heart
You need not be surprised
Nor need you rejoice
In a moment’s time, I’m gone.
You and I meet on the dark sea of night.
You have your own, I have mine, direction.
It is good that you remember,
Better that you forget,
The shines that we exchanged when we meet.
Coincidentally / Ou Ran by XU ZhiMo
………
“You and I meet on the dark sea of night” describes two ships on a dark night met on their sail. Of course, the two ships were not sailing on the same direction. And at the moment they met, they lit up each other’s way.
This poem uses cloud that reflected on water and ships met on dark night to describe the beautiful fleeting encounter. I think the poet wish the encounter can continue and will last longer. If not, he would not bother to write this poem.
What about us? Are we passerby to each other? Would you please tell me what do you want us to be?
Comments
“你记得也好 最好你忘掉”
Perhaps poet didn’t exactly wish for the encounter to last longer. Maybe when the light shined upon each other even for just a moment, that moment was sufficiently beautiful and it’s even more memorable due to its temporal nature?
The poem is written in such a light touch manner, as if it’s to cherish that single moment that will remain beautiful only in memory.
What do you think? What makes fireworks mesmerising to you? Do you wish to hold onto its flashing lights longer?
Author
I do not and could not know about his wish. However, he perpetuated the temporal beautiful encounter into a poem, and this poem travel further even after his death. I would interpret the quote “你记得也好，最好你忘掉” (It is good that you remember, better that you forget) like this:
The poet would be happy, when the other could remember this beautiful encounter. At the same time, he knew that it was useless to hold on when the encounter was not supposed to last any longer. Therefore, he wish the other all the best, when necessary, forget him and move on, be happy.