, Selected Novels of Hometown Literature
Suppose
Category: Poetry Added Time: January 13, 2011, 2:00:52 PM Source: admin Clicks: 32
Suppose time could be reversed to before May 12, 2008,
Suppose my father were still alive
Suppose my mother were still alive
Suppose my wife were still here
Suppose my son were still with me
Suppose everything was like it used to be
Evenings when the whole family would sit at the dinner table
Watching TV
Eating the meals cooked by my mother
How happy I would have been
But
I didn't realize how happy I was then
Now that everything is gone, I yearn for the past
Suppose my legs were still strong
And I could go to work as usual
Even if my rival got promoted
And I was criticized by my boss
I would still smile cheerfully
Unfortunately
I didn't smile when I should have
I didn't cry when I should have
Suppose there was no care from society
Suppose there was no support from all sides
Suppose there were no rescuers among strangers
Suppose the government didn't intervene
Suppose I lived in an older era
Suppose I faced a disaster like the Yellow River breach or the Huayuankou incident
How could I ever smile?
How could I survive in this world?
Suppose there were no such disasters
Suppose I were still whole
Every day I would walk briskly
Just to make money
Every day I would be busy
Chasing fame and fortune
How could I miss the dinner table at home every night
And the joyous faces of my family?
Suppose there were no such disasters
In my heart, I would think more about myself
How could I remember to be grateful to those unfamiliar faces?
Suppose there were no disasters
Dear relatives, compatriots
Before, I only knew to be cautious and guard against strangers
How could I know you are my benefactors
You are my saviors
We are interconnected like lips and teeth, flesh and blood
Suppose there were no disasters
How could I not feel the greatness of my homeland
I have kind compatriots
I have so many treasures more precious than money
I have so much property more meaningful than selfish interests
In the past
I had everything
But I never felt warmth
Now
My family is broken
My body is incomplete
But my heart has become tender
It's been stripped of its calluses