Friday, April 6, 2018

Nu Shu

Nüshu text by Professor Zhao Liming

Translation
Beside a well,
one does not thirst.
Beside a sister,
one does not despair.


My dearest sister

The spirits have given their blessing
sending you to me as I 
enter the month

You will mix the herbs I will drink
to strengthen my mind and make
my body willing

You will build the birth hut
arrange the straw bed

Your strong arms will hold me
bearing me up
as I push my hurting child
through to life

Together we will implore the spirits
to deliver me
a son

My gratitude,
as is our bond,
unending


Ellecee



Inspired by the prompt from
and
for











4 comments:

  1. I love the translation at the top. So beautiful. Your poem is wonderful, painting the scene so vividly I can see her, with her sister supporting her as her "hurting child" is born. I loved this. You took me there.

    ReplyDelete
  2. This is as real as it can get. Beautiful, deep and touching!💜

    ReplyDelete
  3. Good writing. Stark and heartbreaking.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Utterly believable (and moving) as something which would indeed be said between such "sisters".

    ReplyDelete