World Literature:
Gao Hongbo
The Child Who Sows Tears (Poem)
Also writing under the pen-name Xiang Chuan, Gao Hongbo is a poet and author of children’s literature. In addition to his writing he has served as editor or head editor of many literary publications including China Writer and Poetry magazines. Since he began writing in 1971, he has published more than a dozen collections of children’s poetry, more than thirty collections of essays, and four volumes of criticism. He is the recipient of numerous domestic awards for children’s literature, as well as the National Book Prize, the Bing Xin award, and the China Children’s Press “Golden Author” award.
I sow tears in Mama’s hands,
And from her hands,
Tickets to the zoo sprout like plants.
So now I am chatting with the monkeys,
And greeting the brown bears.
I sow tears
In Grandpa’s beard,
And from his beard
A banyan appears
So now I hear the larks and the thrushes
Singing and chirping.
I sow tears
On Papa’s table,
And from his table
Comic-books spread
So, now I fight Cyclops
And explore Treasure Island with Papa.
I believe
I am a cloud
That rains tears.
Of course, no one knows
That when I’m crying.
I’m secretly smiling in my heart.
