Red Crane (Flamingo)
by Xin Mu (1943-)
One flamingo descends
one red bloom is planted on the lake;
A flock of flamingo descend
the whole lake is covered by red blooms.
One flamingo ascends
slits a bleeding wound in the sky;
A flock of flamingo ascend
the sky bleeds a blood river.
Original Chinese poem:
红鹤
辛牧(1943-)
一只红鹤落下
在湖里插上一朵红花
一群红鹤落下
在湖里插上整湖红花
一只红鹤飞起
在天空划开一道伤口
一群红鹤飞起
天空便血流成河
also reminds another great poem
The Swan
by Mr. FS Flint
Under the lily shadow
and the gold
and the blue and mauve
that the whin and the lilac
pour down on the water,
the fishes quiver.
Over the green cold leaves
and the rippled silver
and the tarnished copper
of its neck and beak,
toward the deep black water
beneath the arches,
the swan floats slowly.
Into the dark of the arch the swan floats
and the black depth of my sorrow
bears a white rose of flame.
The Swan more color and emotional, Flamingo is simple.