Now These Objects Will Move by Themselves

by Hsia Yü

Every time you get to thinking this time doesn't count
Every time you come to feel this here and now isn't real
The sound of silk ripping in the air
You run inside as fast you can
Hide yourself

Peering through a crack
Softly say: "Next time, OK."

Just as everything begins to happen you become conscious
Your consciousness is taking the happening
Out of what's happening
But for that one day someday you are able to say:
"Well, actually . . ."
Or maybe
"Once . . ."

Every time you find yourself believing:
"Next time will count far more than this time."

Which is strictly speaking
The next time of the next time

Or the next time ready to rush out
You shout:
"Doesn't count!"

Just as you think of making these objects move by themselves
On account of the fact you're beginning to fidget
Sure enough it all begins to happen

And so we see
A chair moving towards us all by itself
"Just the same it doesn't count."
You say ever so languidly:
"Even that doesn't count doesn't count."

translated from the Chinese by Steve Bradbury

There isn't a lot of contemporary Chinese language that gets translated into to English. Hsia's voice has such structure and shape in what are otherwise featureless worlds.

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