Chapter 7 Selected Poems of Ai Qing - To the Sun

In the morning I wake up from sleep, I am glad to see your radiance; —Though last night I was sleepy, And entangled by countless nightmares. Thy fresh, tender, clear radiance, On my long-unopened window, Cover the window paper with a light yellow color like pollen, Embedded in the light blue and neat grid shadow, Filled with gratitude, I rose from bed, Open the windows and doors that have been closed for the winter, Let you take the bright tablecloth woven of gold silk, Spread out on my table by the window. So, I was pleasantly surprised to see you: Such truth cannot be doubted,

You stand on the top of the mountain opposite, And smile so brightly. I opened my eyes hard to see you, Longing to capture your image, How intense, how tranced, how sublime! Your light stings my pupils. O sun, you immortal philosopher, You bring joy to the world, Even if the most unfortunate sees you, I also feel your comfort in my heart. You are the blacksmith of time, good life gilder; You cast your days into countless golden wheels, Flying over the ancient wasteland... Without you, sun, All life will crawl in the dark, Even with wings, it's just like a bat Fly in the eternal night.

I love you like people love their mothers, You feed my ideas and thoughts with light and heat— Make me live passionately and suffer for ideals, Until my life is taken away by death. After a long and lonely winter, Today, I want to go to the top of the mountain, undressed me, naked, Bathe my soul in your light...