Selected Poems of Linling

A deluxe poetry collection Linling published at her own expense—her debut work, and the representative piece of which she is most proud.

Cats

Orange cats are fine; white cats are grand. The cat constable yowls and cries.

Round eyes open wide—no pest can get away!

Overseer Owl

The shipyard boss dozes off, snoring deep and loud,

Far off like the Geo Lord's rumbling gut; up close, a great wild boar.

Looking at the Sea

The sea is truly beautiful—a blue expanse of water.

Long ships with so many oars look like a row of giant shrimp legs.

Looking at the Sea Again

Day after day I watch the sea and my heart aches; after long enough, my eyes burn and swell.

I have written poems for years, and no one has ever come to admire them.

There will be a day I hoist sail and break the waves—like a great fish turning the rivers and seas.

Blind eyes that fail to know true talent will, sooner or later, wreck and sink in the deep.

Night Street Scene

Street lamps bright as star-swarms; the whole road full of snacks—what joy!

Poor Changchang cries and fusses, hurting the eyes and the heart alike.

Mt. Tianheng

Tianheng Mountain is like a great wall; all of Liyue Harbor hides inside.

It blocks monsters and ruffians—what a fine big wall!

Spring at the Harbor

In Liyue Harbor the Silk Flowers, come spring, put on silk robes.

Is it flower or silk? It turns out silk itself is also a flower.

On Chop Suey

Zhongyuan chop suey is quite spicy and salty—it makes me gape and gasp.

"How can chop suey be this salty?" I raise the question once.

Mistress Su Er changes her face: "Eat it or leave it—it's just this salty!"