The potatoes are blossoming in the face of the sky

by [China] Wu jingdong














On the plateau, the sky is blue and the clouds are quiet,
The potatos flowers covered the hillside are fragrant and bright，
and its pollens are scattered on the askew village along the Yanhe River by wind.

The hot breast milk effuses from the sun,
and nourishes the cornfield in my hometown; the jujube trees and I
are as exult as a group of the lambs sucking the breast!

The dewy maiden floats toward the ridge.
None of the petals overspreading the field is as charming as her lily-white face.
I lose my balance at sight of her flickering and swaying breasts!

skywards,I play the Suo-Na emitting the flames,
and it spouts the musics continuously to entwine
my loving girlie.

How nice the weather is! When the wind-borne dust dissipates in May,
speedily I whitewash the beat-up cave dwelling.The redness of window papercuts
twinkles on my parent's faces.

I put Triones dug up from field in the bamboo basket
of my damsel.When drifting over the brickyard behind the hill,wisps of smoke
from kitchen chimneys,has well paved the kang with a thick layer of warmth.


1995,first draft
2003,finalized

[Note]: The Suo-na,a musical instrument of china,with bugle-like shape;The Kang,a heatable brick bed in north China.

原文 武靖东《洋芋花面朝天》

塬上，天蓝、云静，
开满土坡的洋芋花又香又亮，
它的花粉被风涂遍延河旁歪斜的村庄。

热乎乎的母乳从太阳里流出
润泽家乡的麦田，枣林
和我欢跃得象群吮奶的羊羔

水灵灵的阿妹飘向屹梁。
遍野的洋芋花瓣瓣，怎比得上她的白脸脸，
她的奶子又颤又晃，使我意乱心慌！

我举起烈焰四射的唢呐，朝天吹响，
它喷出的信天游，一曲连着一曲
要将我喜欢的阿妹紧缠不放。

趁着五月沙尘消退的好时光，
把旧石窑粉刷一新，红艳艳的窗花
闪耀在年迈双亲的脸上。

我把洋芋地里挖出的北斗七星放进阿妹的
小竹篮。越过山峁后的机砖厂，缕缕炊烟
已在坑头铺满了厚厚一层温暖。

1995.5