He or she, though often comes to mind, has
never crossed your mind
Absolutely impossible, while
in fact, most certainly possible
The one who smiles at you
Complains tearfully to you when it’s not fair
Reaches out and shakes your hand
Embraces you ardently
Placidly sits beside you or across from you
With whom you eat, drink tea, and chat
Share computer jokes
Or wish a happy birthday
The one you want to help or who wants to help you
Like a dog before, more like a wolf now
Docile as a sheep, rather
Listening intently while actually turning a deaf ear to you
Gazing fixedly while actually turning a blind eye to you
Flesh cut and cut again, each felt deeply at heart
Blood flows drop after drop and cannot be staunched
Never engaging in scholarly work nor appreciating the
learning of others
Never reading the paper nor knowing who rambles among
the mountains 1
Finally realizing they could be a man and a woman
Young and old
Thoroughly loathed, there’s nothing you can do
Long-lived and proud of themselves
They give up drinking and take cod-liver oil
To live all the longer
Most of them have read Lu Xun’s Tomb
1 “Rambler in the Mountains” is the penname of writer and PEN member Pi-twan
Huang 黃碧端.
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