NO
this house is not
a boat, & we
are not here
to steer you
back to kaohsiung
grandpa,
unpack your bags
the doctor is waiting
he wants to see you
draw a clock
he wants to hear you
talk to father
so they can translate
your words
to years that fit
inside their mouths too
i know
we are asking
a lot
after all,
how does one cure
a sickness that lives
in today
when he cannot
how does one beg
their hands
to turn off
a stove
if their fingers
only remember
how to bait
a hook
you can’t
this house is not
a boat, & we
are not here
to steer you
back to kaohsiung
grandpa,
unpack your bags
the doctor is waiting
he wants to see you
draw a clock
he wants to hear you
talk to father
so they can translate
your words
to years that fit
inside their mouths too
i know
we are asking
a lot
after all,
how does one cure
a sickness that lives
in today
when he cannot
how does one beg
their hands
to turn off
a stove
if their fingers
only remember
how to bait
a hook
you can’t
BÙYÀO
zhè gè jiā bù shi
yī sōu chuán
wŏ mén bủ kĕ yĭ
sòng nĭ
huí qù
yé yé
fảng xià nĭ de dŏng xī
yī shēng dĕng zhe nĭ
tā yảo nĭ
huả huả
rán hòu tā yào tīng nĭ
jiăng huả
wŏ zhī dảo
má fán
kĕ shì nĭ xū yào
zhè gè jiā bù shi
yī sōu chuán
wŏ mén bủ kĕ yĭ
sòng nĭ
huí qù
yé yé
fảng xià nĭ de dŏng xī
yī shēng dĕng zhe nĭ
tā yảo nĭ
huả huả
rán hòu tā yào tīng nĭ
jiăng huả
wŏ zhī dảo
má fán
kĕ shì nĭ xū yào