there has been much rain this year

and I am very thin

there are three sparrows chirrping on the wall

when I get up in the morning I always hear Wang Huali

brushing his teeth outside the door

then I am reminded that I have been listening to him brush his teeth for a long time

and I shall listen to that for a long time to come

but I can’t figure out why Old Du has got so much grey hair on his head recently

I feel so bad

I recall that in the last few years he’s been telling me

how he comes to part company with a girl in Jiu Quan*

and how on one occasion he stole some wine

and got dead drunk

we all ran to console him

till we found

we were feeling awkward ourselves

then I remember there has been much rain this year

and I am very thin

and everybody is feeling awkward
 

 
* Jiu Quan is a place name in China which translates to “wine fountain”.