Leaving For a Distant Place

Author: Runping Chen In his mother’s eyes, The child is dragging her coat brim; On father’s broad shoulders, I am still weak and young. Today, the swallows are trying a fly While I am also about to leave home. At the entrance to the village, the bus is moving ahead. Mother’s tears shedding like threads fastened the child’ heels. Exhorting me a hundred thousand times How could she exert a full heart of worries on and on, However far and near, just as beyond the horizon. The wrinkles on father’s forehead Were crowded with drastic heartbeats And he saw the child stepping forward The weak and puny footprints. Perhaps walking on and on alone, The child might understand the hardships that life trecked on. Birds will fly high and deer will run fast. This long journey is on my life course the first. To rouse the young wings So as to be firm and proud And to say farewell to many years of shield While I’m trying to fly, to a distant sky. Mother, wipe off thy tears, please. And tell father to wait for the swallows’ return; Don’t walk back and forth at the entrance of the village Where the cypress tree is in the direction of my homing passage. I will stretch my wings that have gradually become browny And perch on your life eventually.