A Maze of Stars and Spring Water

Bing Xin

• Publisher: Simon & Schuster
• Year: 2014
• ISBN:
  9781476774978
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: Poetry

A Maze of Stars & Spring Water is a collection of poems directly inspired by the poetic forms that emerged after the May Fourth Movement. Specifically, the "mini poem, " which by Bing Xin's own admission, hadn't quite existed before she started experimenting with its form. Inspired by Tagore's Stray Birds, she started gathering her "scattered and fragmentary thoughts, " not originally intended as poetry, but which would eventually become the present collection. The popularity of the poems and the distinction of the form led the genre to become known as the "Bingxin style."

Spring Water

■ Dedication

Ah Mother.

These little odds and ends of thought—

Can you look at them?

These words

At a time before ever I was,

Were hidden in your bosom.

1

“It is a year since I first saw you, and still you are rippling.

Can you yet reflect a shadow?”

The water gently thanked him and said,

“My friend—

I have never yet reflected any image—

Not yours, nor any other.”

2

The four seasons passed slowly by—

A hundred flowers murmured to each other,

“We are only weak

Sweet-smelling dreams.

In succession we are made, one after the other.”

And the cups of bitter experience

Must be tasted one after the other—

God has thus ordained it.

3

Young man:if you cannot fly like the wind,

You should be quiet like the hills.

But I see you are transient like the clouds.

Your life has no particular importance,

Except to give material to a maker of rhymes.

4

Do rushes then, count the yellow waves as comrades?

Ah let me drift on the wind that blows toward the great river!

5

A small river flows fully and quietly,

And crosses level sands for a thousand li—

Freely—pensively—

It has no happy chatter.

A small river crookedly flows forward,

And crosses lofty hills and deep valleys,

Dangerously—

Sinuously—

Neither is there joy in the sound of its waters.

My friend,

Thank you for your answer to my question which has long puzzled me.

In the crooked and silent course of the water,

I found the symbol of youth's happiness.

6

O Poet—

Do not work so hard at changing Nature.

The most beautiful pictures

Are touched in delicate colours.

7

A step at a time with help—

The half hidden purple peak—

Why is it so high—so far?

8

O Moon—

Why do people worship you?

Because in the depths of the far heavens,

There is only you to come and go.

9

If I should ask—

O God,

In what place is Thy Dwelling?

Should I be allowed to know?

Afar!

Afar!

I am too slight and little to know.

10

I suddenly knew it was midnight,

O fair, white, daylight thoughts,

Do not emerge within the boundaries of night!

11

The south wind blows.

It brings the laughter of Spring

From the world of waters.

12

The sound of a flute draws near,

A blind man comes;

The sound of the flute dies away; The destiny of ignorant man,

Will you also follow?

13

White Lotus—

You are too self-conscious in your purity;

Can there be any objection if a pink lotus blossom

In the same pool

Encounters you?

14

Nature called aloud and said—

“Take your pen,

Dip it in my ocean;

Humanity's heart is too dry and parched.”

15

Silence

Is filled with the triumphal song of the victor.

16

O my heart,

What is worth troubling about?

Is it the Universe?

Or is it the living beings which come into the world?

17

The setting sun shines on the withered grass of the red wall.

Go down quickly, O sun!

You cause many young people to age early.

18

O flower in the midst of ice and snow,

You bloom before the spring...