Evening Walk With My Dog
• Background
In November 2013 I went to England to help celebrate my brother's Diamond Wedding. For work-related reasons, my wife Lynette was unable to come with me. She was left at home with Toby, Hound of the Derbyshires.
Giving Toby his daily walk is normally one of my morning chores. In my absence, Lynette took up the leash, walking Toby diligently every evening, although it's dark by the time she gets home from work in November.
This poem is the fruit of one such walk.
At the poet's request I have used the modern simplified characters (简体字) for her poems, instead of the traditional ones (繁體字) used elsewhere in these readings.
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• Play the reading
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• Text of the poem
初夜遛犬
齐红玫
初夜遛犬滿天星
空街无人鸟不惊
脚踏落叶沙沙响
风动树搖有谁听
My translation:
Evening Walk With My Dog
Early at night I walk my dog under the starry sphere.
Alone we two in an empty street; the birds express no fear.
Our footsteps, the falling leaves; soft, soft they sound.
A wind rises, the trees stir … but who is there to hear?