Chinese Lesson Continued (Poem by Yuan changming

Chinese Lesson Continued

Square-shaped, stroke-structured

Every Chinese character presents an

Abstract painting rich in symbolic

Meanings; for example, ‘自由’

[Freedom] is an enclosed framework

Where there’s always a unique stroke

Trying to break out of the cell

Whereas ‘牢笼’ [prison house] is 

Open-ended in every direction, but

Even if you are as strong as a bull

Or a dragon, you can never hope to 

Escape from under a simple radical

 

 

Yuan Changming co-edits Poetry Pacific with Allen Yuan. Writing credits include 12 Pushcart nominations for poetry and 3 for fiction besides appearances in Best of the Best Canadian Poetry (2008-17) and 2149 other publications worldwide. A poetry juror for Canada's 44th National Magazine Awards, Yuan began to write prose in 2022, his hybrid novel DETACHING, 'silver romance' THE TUNER and short story collection FLASHBACKS available at Amazon.