Qiqihar

By Bai Hua

What you get me in Qiqihar? Apart from that shameful name.
Cool body is cold all year round, Qiqihar?
How about warm? It's hot every second, Qiqihar!

Youngsters aged 18 feel that they've lived a life overmuch.
80-year-old, but, always feels that has experienced too little.
It isn't refer to Qiqihar, just all over the world...

The world? On a cloudy afternoon, a raven full of fun
on a guardrail at end of Cujas sidewalk in Paris
touching his head with wings, uttered human voice
---Qiqihar, Cicigar, Qiqigar...

April 6, 2016/ translated by Chen Zihong

1. why is Qiqihar's name shameful? Because "Har" in Sichuan dialect pronunciation is "ha er", namely fool's meaning.
2. Cicigar and Qiqigar are transliterations of Manchu for the name Qiqihar.        -tr.   

诗人简介：柏桦（1956-）中国当代著名诗人，西南交通大学艺术与传播学院教授。代表作《表达》、《往事》、《水绘仙侣》、《一点墨》

本诗英文译文及所附中文原诗已获作者授权，未经原作者和译者许可，谢绝任何转载及用于任何商业用途。

齐齐哈尔

柏桦

齐齐哈尔有啥？除了这令人尴尬的名字。
凉身体一年四季都是凉的，齐齐哈尔？
热身体呢？每分每秒都热，齐齐哈尔！

18岁的人都觉得自己经历了太多的人生。
80岁的人则反之，总觉得经历的太少。
这说的可不是齐齐哈尔，这放之四海……

四海？一个阴天的下午，一只逸乐乌鸦
在巴黎Cujas窄巷人行道尽头铁护栏上
边用翅膀抚头边说话，它发出了人声
——齐齐哈尔，齐齐哈尔，齐齐哈尔……

注释一：为什么说齐齐哈尔的名字令人尴尬？因为“哈尔”在四川话的发音中是“哈儿”，即傻瓜的意思。

2016年4月6日