Poem-cover image
Illustration: Li Si
ARTS

Another Kind of Wheat | Poetry

A fresh poetry translation from Cang Bai on the humble wheat crop

I said the wheat is waiting for fall,

You burst out laughing,

I must have never seen wheat before.

我说麦子等秋天

你马上笑我

肯定没见过麦子

Create a free account to keep reading

Already have an account? Log in

Another Kind of Wheat | Poetry is a story from our issue, “Promised Land.” To read the entire issue, become a subscriber and receive the full magazine. Alternatively, you can purchase the digital version from the App Store.

SHARE:

author Cang Bai

Born in Chengdu, Sichuan, Cangbai first posted his poems on Douyin in 2020 and immediately struck a chord with the platform’s young audience. In just two months, his followers grew from zero to 200,000. He has previously worked on providing psychological aid to troubled youths and suicide prevention through Goodnight, the late-night radio channel and online community he has founded. Cangbai’s first poetry collection, Embracing You and the World (《抱着你和人间》), was published in early 2021.


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.

Related Articles