More Than My Dad

By Xiao Cong

An enigmatic light shining inside him
blossoms into autumn night sky. Like a tiny seed, tiny thought of mine
just inheriting from blood

I cannot climb this tall  parasol tree in front of me, to reach the moon
to reach another planet
The unknown destination frightens me. I am more afraid of the floating ladder made of twigs
as though I would be blown off by the wind and fall to the bottom of the memory

--But that man, he never came back. Sleeping above the Milky Way, he is silent
like a lamp
He produced enduring time and built a haveli with it
and the dawn will be able to move in

            translated by Chen Zihong

他就是我的父亲

小葱

神秘的光闪烁在身体里
绽放成秋夜天空。思想幼小如一粒种子
等待血液浇灌

我无法踩着眼前高大的梧桐，到月亮上
到另一个星球去
未知的遥远令人恐惧，更怕枝枝叶叶搭建的浮梯
风一吹，就把我晃倒，坠入回忆底层

——而那个人，不曾回来过。他睡在银河之上，静寂
如一盏灯
他创造出永恒的时间，并把它建造成宫殿
让黎明住进去