Still Life
/Leung Ping-kwan (Ye Si)/
At the beginning, there was someone sitting on the chair
At the beginning, there was someone sitting at the table
At the beginning, there was someone watering a plant
At the beginning, there was someone looking up from the books
Where have they all gone now?
The one who danced to the music
The one who liked eating noodles
The one who liked drinking plain water
The one who wore a hat to keep off the sun
Where have they all gone now?
Was someone who wanted to have a good talk with you
Was someone who wanted to hold your hand tight
Was someone who wanted to sing loud with you
to look at the sky together with you
Where have they all gone now?
Turned into one who shared a drink of water with total st rangers
Turned into one who went on hunger strike for what he believes in
Turned into one who dissuaded armed police with tears in eyes
Turned into one who fended off bullets meant for friends
Where have they all gone now?
Squashed to pieces
Riddled with bullets
Blown into sand
Scattered as dust
Where have they all gone now?
Turned into the constant shadows by our sides
Turned into the sun and air of our days
Turned into the plants and furniture in our lives
Turned into the book we read over and over again
Originally published in City Voices: Hong Kong Writing in En-
glish 1945 to the Present
Copyright 2003 by Hong Kong University Press
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