for Elizabeth Weber
I sigh, seeing it. Surely some ancient
Chinese artist envisioned this as veil
or tapestry, at base lotus shore, glint
of mystic lake, this surreal landscape’s trails
leading to mountain kingdoms of Lei-Kung
and Lei-Ze, gods of thunder and lightning
transcending to two visions of passion:
one smoldering end of love—frightening
storm clouds of memory—one blazing red
explosion of volcanic now, swirling
torch rising, reaching toward soul’s hope or dread
of eternal light. At center, curling
down, this chartreuse-and-flame hanzi column
reveals heaven’s spine: Song Yu’s love poems.
Roger Armbrust
May 18, 2009
