The Boundary
By Bei Dao
I want to go to the other bank
The river water alters the sky's colour
and alters me
I am in the current
my shadow stands by the river bank
like a tree struck by lightning
I want to go to the other bank
In the trees on the other bank
a solitary startled wood pigeon
flies towards me
Copyright Credit: "The Boundary" by Bei Dao, translated by Bonnie S. McDougall from THE AUGUST SLEEPWALKER, copyright © 1988 by Bei Dao. Translation copyright © 1988, 1990 by Bonnie S. McDougall. Used by permission of New Directions Publishing Corp.
Source: THE AUGUST SLEEPWALKER (New Directions Publishing Corporation, 1990)