#haizi

从明天起, 做一个幸福的人 Cóng míngtiān qǐ, zuò yīgè xìngfú de rén Starting tomorrow, I will be a happy person

喂马, 劈柴, 周游世界 Wèi mǎ, pǐchái, zhōuyóu shìjiè Feed a horse, split logs, travel the world

从明天起, 关心粮食和蔬菜 Cóng míngtiān qǐ, guānxīn liángshí hé shūcài Starting tomorrow, I will care for crops and vegetables

我有一所房子, 面朝大海, 春暖花开 Wǒ yǒuyī suǒ fángzi, miàn cháo dàhǎi, chūnnuǎn huā kāi I have a house; it faces the sea, and flowers bloom in spring warmth

从明天起, 和每一个亲人通信 Cóng míngtiān qǐ, hé měi yīgè qīnrén tōngxìn Starting tomorrow, I will contact every relative

告诉他们我的幸福 Gàosu tāmen wǒ de xìngfú to tell them about my happiness

那幸福的闪电告诉我的 Nà xìngfú de shǎndiàn gàosu wǒ de As that lightning bolt of happiness told me

我将告诉每一个人 Wǒ jiāng gàosu měi yīgèrén I will tell each and every person

给每一条河每一座山取一个温暖的名字 Gěi měi yītiáo hé měi yīzuò shān qǔ yīgè wēnnuǎn de míngzì Give every river and every mountain a warmhearted name

陌生人, 我也为你祝福 Mòshēng rén, wǒ yě wèi nǐ zhùfú As for strangers, I wish you happiness too

愿你有一个灿烂的前程 Yuàn nǐ yǒu yīgè cànlàn de qiánchéng I wish you a glittering future

愿你有情人终成眷属 Yuàn nǐ yǒu qíngrén zhōngchéng juànshǔ I wish you a lover who becomes a spouse

愿你在尘世获得幸福 Yuàn nǐ zài chénshì huòdé xìngfú I wish that you obtain happiness in this world

我只愿面朝大海, 春暖花开 Wǒ zhǐ yuàn miàncháo dàhǎi, chūnnuǎn huā kāi I wish only to face the sea, where flowers bloom in spring warmth

Asian copper, asian copper Here is where my grandfather died, here is where my father died, here is where I will also die You are my single burial place.

Asian copper, asian copper The bird’s flights and love’s doubts, everything submerged in seawater Your master, grass, living alone atop your small waist Protecting the hands and precious secrets of wildflowers.

Asian copper, asian copper Seen it yet? Those two small pigeons, they’re the shoes left behind by Qu Yuan on the sand Let us ———— us and the river, together, put it on.

Asian copper, asian copper Hitting the drums, we call the heart dancing in the dark the moon. This moon, is primarily constituted of you.

Haizi, October 1984.

This is a short poem by the contemporary Chinese poet, Haizi. Some context and background to better understand his words is that Haizi committed suicide two months after writing this.

This poem records his final thoughts: wishing that the world could be simple again; hoping that the act of tossing away materialism and going back to the basics would bring him joy. Haizi wished to be away from the world, away from people and society.

Tis a checklist of things that might spark joy. Yet, it has a depressing nature of being a bucket list that he might never check off.

This irony is a wake up call to society that depression is not a simple matter of being sad. We can be depressed and still look towards a future. We can be depressed and still dream. We can be depressed and still love the world.

Thse last words bestow a prayer into the world, that a stranger might come across this poem and be inspired to have what he could not achieve. I hope I've managed to express the conflicted nature of this poem in English.

Facing the sea, with spring blossoms

From tomorrow on, become a happy man

Feed the horse, split some firewood, travel the world

From tomorrow on, care for the crops and vegetables

I have a house, facing the sea, with spring blossoms

From tomorrow on, write to all the loved ones

Tell them about my happiness

What the lightning bolt of happiness tells me

I will tell everyone

For every river and every mountain, designate an endearing name

Stranger, I wish you the best also

I hope you will have a brilliant future

I hope you will find love and a place to belong

I hope you will receive happiness on this earth

我的脚趾正好十个

我的手指正好十个

我生下来时哭几声

我死去时别人又哭

我不声不响的

带来自己这个包袱

尽管我不喜爱自己

但我还是悄悄打开

我在黄昏时坐在地球上

我这样说并不表明晚上

我就不在地球上 早上同样

地球在你屁股下

结结实实

老不死的地球你好

或者我干脆就是树枝

我以前睡在黑暗的壳里

我的脑袋就是我的边疆

就是一颗梨

在我成型之前

我是知冷知热的白花

或者我的脑袋是一只猫

安放在肩膀上

造我的女主人荷月远去

成群的阳光照着大猫小猫

我的呼吸

一直在证明

树叶飘飘

我不能放弃幸福

或相反

我以痛苦为生

埋葬半截

来到村口或山上

我盯住人们死看：

呀, 生硬的黄土 人丁兴旺。

《明天醒来我会在哪只鞋子里》

--海子

Facing The Sea with Spring Blossoms

                                                                       by Haizi

From tomorrow on, I will be a happy man,

Grooming, chopping and traveling all over the world.

From tomorrow on, I will care foodstuff and vegetable, 

Living in a house towards the sea, with spring blossoms. 

From tomorrow on, write to each of my dear ones,

Telling them of my happiness, 

What the lightening of happiness has told me, 

I will spread it to each of them.

Give a warm name to every river and every mountain, 

Strangers, I wish you happy as well. 

May you have a brilliant future!

May you lovers eventually become spouses!

May you enjoy happiness in this earthly world!

面朝大海，春暖花开 　　      海子 从明天起，做一个幸福的人 喂马、劈柴，周游世界 从明天起，关心粮食和蔬菜 我有一所房子，面朝大海，春暖花开 从明天起，和每一个亲人通信 告诉他们我的幸福 那幸福的闪电告诉我的 我将告诉每一个人 给每一条河每一座山取一个温暖的名字 陌生人，我也为你祝福 愿你有一个灿烂的前程 愿你有情人终成眷属 愿你在尘世获得幸福 我只愿面朝大海，春暖花开

Starting tomorrow, I'll be a happy man Grooming my horses, chopping firewood Travelling around the world Starting tomorrow, I'll embrace the crops and soil In my house by the sea, where flowers bloom and spring Is in the air Starting tomorrow, I'll write to my dear ones Telling them of my happiness And spread the words of the joyful lightning To each and every soul Tenderly, I name every river, every mountain Dear stranger, I bless you with all my heart May you have a glorious future May you be together with whom you love May you find happiness in this earthly world All I wish is to be by the sea, where flowers bloom and spring Is in the air