Felicity Yiran Smith reading ‘Winter’

那年的冬天，
My bird died.
My first death,
虽那么微不足道.
I buried her tiny frame under the snow，
the barren trees vigil in the garden.

春天的石榴花格外灿烂.

Sometimes,
我依然惦记着
the clear and green sound of
那只鸟的歌谣.
So I cup blossoms in cold hands,
剥去冬天的泪痕，
Listen,
天下的一切都
叽叽喳喳的唱出
their thirst for summer.

Glossary and transliteration

那年的冬天 (na nian de dong tian): that year’s winter

虽那么微不足道 (sui na me wei bu zu dao): even though it was so insignificant

春天的石榴花格外灿烂 (chun tian de shi liu hua ge wai can lan): the pomegranate flowers in spring were especially brilliant

我依然惦记着 (wo yi ran dian ji zhe): I still reminisce about

那只鸟的歌谣 (na zhi niao de ge yao): that bird’s song

剥去冬天的泪痕 (bo qu dong tian de lei hen): peel away winter’s tear tracks

天下的一切都 (tian xia de yi qie dou): everything under the sky all

叽叽喳喳的唱出 (ji ji zha zha de chang chu): noisily sing out

Felicity Yiran Smith is a current student of Creative Writing and Ancient History at the University of Melbourne. Born to an Australian father and Chinese mother, she enjoys writing in both languages as part of exploring her racial identity.