Place me where you may
I'll find my way home anyhow
for a short while only you might keep me
you'll never be able to put me down

for I'm an act of disappearing
a doppelganger or conjuror
when your hands were to land
on my neck-  they would be scorched by fire!

When I was around
no one noticed, none came-
when I disappeared completely
they wandered in search frantically
and wanted to know my name-

gossips all at once went viral
many boldly did claim
I had hidden far away
out of some dreadful shame-

some sort of notoriety
I overnight became
their obsession over me
had turned into a hunting game-

'twas such a great blessing
to be in my solitude's frame
myself to own and cultivate
without being noticed or being called to fame

There's an unknown zone
in my heart's chamber
I struggled many times over
but could never enter-

last night in my troubled dream
a voice came to me in a whisper:
'  This is terra incognita
   your name we don't remember!'

It's the brightest summer
but my lonely heart bears
the sombre barrenness
of the deepest winter-

she doesn't and might never
know I'm the silent lover
every dawn I hide behind my window
as she walks on the same path over-

once we met face-to-face
a gentle smile she did show
not a word we spoke
too brief was the encounter-

years went by, so carelessly
I was still a bachelor
we met one day at the village fair
she met me and said: 'This is Susie, my daughter'.

I left my home in West Lake
        in the sunshine of my youth
        the world to discover-
        mum wept and said: 'Do be good'.

       I consoled her and dad:
      'Your ways I'll follow in my sojourn
      a letter home I'll send every week
      I'll do you both proud--be of no concern'.

     A village -school I became
     Confucian culture I taught
      also the best of Tang and Sung poetry
      all my pupils found in rapture wrapped.

     The salary was poor
     in a abandoned barn I slept
     reading at night in candle-light
     hardship I did endure and accept.

    The beautiful daughter of the headmaster
    by the green summer- field I met
   ' So delightful are the poems you wrote':
     (to me with beaming eyes) she lovingly said.
  
     Her picture I sent to mum and dad gladly
      'Ming, you're no longer young'. they confided
     ' it 's time you settled down- Mei is so pretty-
     we hope you'll be married ere we're dead'

    Mei came to the barn one early night
    to her my poems I read:
    her eyes welled in tears
   '  I love you- so very  much' she suddenly said.
      
     Two years quickly passed by
     Mei's dad from cancer suffered
     ' Ming, you're like a son to me
       take over from me'  he pleaded with a look so sad.
      
     On a  sunny day Mei and I tied the knot
     mum and dad travelled 8,000 li* and attended
     we had the village's Chief and all the dignitaries' patronage
     the event was the most ever celebrated.
    
  * the Chinese mile, 500 metres

Bitterest winter
   all cottage windows are shut
   faint violin strains

Pale leaves fall silently in the dead of winter
I realise I have lived far too long
I was once a bold and outgoing singer
but no longer has life left me any single song-

in the night's thickest snow I wander
the heartless winds they blow loud and strong
tears of forlorn love on icy rocks they flounder
in this chilling hour I weep,  to none do I belong