Two Poems. (2nd January 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Li, Chen; Wong, Elaine
• Is Part Of: Chinese literature today. Volume 8:Number 1(2019)
• Page Start: 97
• Page End: 101
• Publication Date: 2019-01-02
• Subjects: Chinese literature -- Periodicals; 895.1
• DOI: 10.1080/21514399.2019.1605263
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2151-4399

Abstract

Abstract : The two poems included here are from Elaine Wong's project translating Chen Li's poetry. "I Run into Monet in Monet's Garden" imagines a conversation with Monet on the redemptive power of art in times of personal suffering. Wong's recent viewing of the wall-sized Water Lilies by Monet at the Met brought some breakthroughs to this translation, especially to the wordplay on "water lily" and to the transition from pain to beauty. "Rivers North of the Future" portrays Chen Li's friendship with the Beijing poet Wang Jiaxin as well as his aspiration for sincere poetic exchanges between Taiwan and mainland China. Meeting both poets in summer 2018 helped Wong better understand the poets' relationship and their poems.