A poem on future planning by Shanghai-based writer Sirongyun
Friend, could you write up a plan?
Regarding how to put on the show, could you write a plan?
Regarding what to do when the show is done,
Could you write up a plan?
Regarding the hopeless future, could you write a plan?
Regarding the distance, June, the journey’s end,
Could you write up a plan?
Regarding your heartbeat, the moment it stops,
And what memories flash before you then,
Could you write up a plan?
Regarding bus stops, blizzards, the reaches of the tide,
Could you write up a plan?
Regarding whether to smile when meeting a stranger,
Could you write up a plan?
Regarding how to rescue a stranded soul,
Could you write up a plan?
Regarding love that does not endure,
And age’s final hours,
Could you write up a plan?
Regarding death, how to die, and what comes after,
No matter what comes, could you write up a plan?
Friend, Could You Write Up a Plan? | Poetry is a story from our issue, “Sports for All.” To read the entire issue, become a subscriber and receive the full magazine. Alternatively, you can purchase the digital version from the App Store.
Sirongyun (丝绒陨) is a contributing writer at The World of Chinese.
Translated By
Nathaniel Gan is a translator working from Chinese and Spanish to English. He translates poetry, fiction, and first-person narratives for TWOC. His background in activism, farming, education, and design has provided a fertile training ground for navigating the space between worldviews, where meaning depends as much on context as content. Based out of Providence, Rhode Island, Nathaniel collaborates with poets and writers in the US and internationally.
