Early Spring

From Still Life, Three Worlds by Dai Pan (潘岱). Poem 19.

I arrived at the era, to be displayed.
Like a greeting card printed in gray dust,
playing on the shelves, faded yet stayed.

The snacks in hand, the rubber in mouth,
in the place within your heart,
value defined by material and appearance.

Growing up, not yet mature, a chapter of life.
Together with a cat,
shaped by emotions into a sphere,
transformed into daily, monthly, yearly stories.

From newspapers,
Written into memories.

Cite as: Dai Pan, "Early Spring," Three Worlds, Still Life, poem 19, 2025. https://daipan.ink/still-life/early-spring

Still Life 19

Early Spring

I arrived at the era, // to be displayed.
Like a greeting card printed // in gray dust,
playing on the shelves, // faded yet stayed.

The snacks in hand, // the rubber in mouth,
in the place within your heart,
value defined by material and appearance.

Growing up, not yet mature, // a chapter of life.
Together with a cat,
shaped by emotions into a sphere,
transformed into daily, // monthly, yearly stories.

From newspapers,
Written into memories.