Changming Yuan

Self-Addressing: A Bilinguacultural Poem

    In English, the speaker always uses 
A proper pronoun to address self
In Chinese, the speaker calls self 
More than one hundred different names

In English, there is a distinction between
The subject and object case of self
In Chinese, there is no change in writing
    Be it a subject or an object

In English, the writer spells self with one
Single straight capitalized letter
    In Chinese, the writer adds to the character 
‘Pursuit’ a stroke symbolizing something

In English, “I” ask for democracy, freedom
    Individuality, rule of law, among others
In Chinese, “我” is habitually avoided in making 
A reply, either in writing or in speaking

Missing in Missed Moments (For Qi Hong)

Each time I miss you
       A bud begins to bloom
    So you are surrounded by flowers 
Everywhere you go 
 	
Each time I miss you
       A dot of light pops up 
   So you are illuminated by a whole sky 
Of stars through the night 

Yuan Changming is co-editor of poetrypacific.blogspot.ca. He has received Pushcart nominations and appeared in Best of the Best Canadian Poetry (2008-17) & BestNewPoemsOnline. Recently, Yuan published his eleventh chapbook, Limerence, and served on the jury for Canada’s 44th National Magazine Awards (poetry category).