Solitude
Yang Mu

Solitude is an ancient beast
hiding in my jagged rock heart
A stripe on his back that changes color—
I know it's a protective device for his species
Loneliness in his eyes, he often stares at
distant floating clouds and yearns for
celestial shifting and wandering
He lowers his head and muses, allowing the wind and rain to whip
his abandoned ferocity
his wind-eroded love

Solitude is an ancient beast
hiding in my jagged rock heart
When it thunders, he moves slowly
laboriously, into my wine cup
and with adoring eyes
looks at a twilight drinker
I know at a moment like this he regrets
having left his familiar world
and entering my cold wine. I lift the cup to my lips
and with kindness send him back into my heart