1927
Teikichi Hikoyama (1884-1957)
separated from her companions, a wild duck flies alone
— Yu Xuanji*
by NELLIE WONG
As the heart separated
she flies in snow from
wind and rain, her
feathers seek no companions,
her song rivets moonlight, a
thread after thread, wild
anticipation of journey, duck
ambling in forest, flies,
flies, silver and alone.
© 2022 Nellie Wong
* Inspired by a poem by Yu Xuanji from Yin Mountain: The Immortal Poetry of Three Daoist Women, translated by Peter Levitt and Rebecca Nie © 2022.