Wen Zhai // Contributor
Valeriya Kim // Illustration
Ok
I will tell you
about the wild apple trees
and how I raced
against squirrels and ants
to taste the fallen apples
I will tell you
about how once
I treated myself
with wild cherries
so full that
I hiccuped
and how despair I was
staring at
the cherry tree
as tall as a multi-floor building
or the one
hanging over the waters
I will tell you
about how the poplar leaves fell
and the crisp sound of them
breaking away from the branches
and what a dance
t
h
e
y
d
a
n
c
e
d
a
l
l
T
h
e
w
a
y
to the ground
as if they were not
coming to their deaths
but to join
a party celebrating life
I will tell you
about the squirrel that decided to run
towards me
on a narrow bridge
I will tell you
about the duck that
patiently led my way
on the forest path
I will tell you
about the raccoon that approached me
and stood on its hind legs
to carefully observe me
I will tell you
about the grey heroine
that met me
three days in a row
on a beach
at dusk
Standing
or walking up and down
in the water
meters away from me
until I became confused
of who was taming
and who was tamed
I will tell you
about the two seagulls
stopped in mid-air
in front of me
as if inviting me to a show
dropped clams
on the pebble beach
and cracked them open
for lunch
Twice
on a hot summer day
while I was reading
barely in the shade
on a bench
not far away
I will tell you
about how a deer casually
crossed the path before me
to join its friend
without one bit of fear
as if I was one
of them
Maybe
I will also tell you
the sound of
a group of geese
flapping their wings
flying along the shore so low
that if I wasn’t
behind a tree
I might be
able to touch them
But
I won’t tell you
Where
all these happened
No
Way