An Illusive Morning

Translated by Bob Chen

Hassle dismays me
to escape the dusty noisy surroundings,
I came to this seaside summer resort.
Late autumn,
early in the morning,
such a large hall,
the crackling from the fireplace,
slashed through the sound of silence.
The light from the fire gives the dark corner,
a welcomed warmth.
Throwing my body into a cushy sofa,
holding a mug of coffee to keep warm,
spilling the brain
acting dumb,
what lazy thoughts.
Staring at the fire to doze off,
the smallest of noise
by my ear-side wakes me,
coming from behind my body a strand of piano sound.
The keys strike out,
"Yesterday",
" The Four Seasons",
"You are on my mind",
"Michelle",
"Torturing Lady Cardinal".
Torturing Lady Cardinal!?
Turn around to take a look,
in front of the full length window
I found a girl sitting with her back turned.
The black lacquered grand piano,
camel-hair colored sweater,
a nice head of jet black silken hair,
what a perfect autumn scene,
so beautiful the sound,
turn around to enjoy one more time.
She
plays
"Killing me softly with her song"
I
follow the key strokes, and hum:
'Strumming my pain with her fingers,
singing my life with her words,
killing me softly with her song,
telling my whole life with her words,
killing me softly with her song.
I heard she sang a good song,
I heard she had a style.
And so I came to see her to listen for a while,
And there she was the young girl a stranger to my eyes'!
Can't resist
to push myself in front of the window,
by the piano,
'sir, did I wake you up?'
'No, miss, the piano sound has hypnotized me.'
'That's great.'
'Are you from China?'
'I'm American-born.'
'Then, how do you know to play that Chinese tune?'
'My mother taught me.'
'Oh! Please don't stop,
keep on playing that pretty song,
I'll go back to listenmore.'
What a beautiful face,
such engaging smile.
An illusive morning,
sitting there in a trance.
Why can't the arrow of times goes in reverse for thirty years!
Oh!
This is not another spring.
.....
Girl
my sweet girl!
What am I going to do?