South China Sea, my Ancestor Sea
By Le Bing
Translated by Tulip
Over the fishing village
Abrupt clouds
Like a shifting rascal
Is holding a daydream in delusion
To rob
Fisherman’s spring
South China Sea, my Ancestor Sea
My grandpa buried in fish-belly
While the sea became my Ancestor
My grandma twelve-three-old widow
Remained the loyal heart to him
She uttered a word to me before leaving the world
You are big man fed up by South China Sea
He is our Ancestor Sea
Where there are our ancestral temples and fanes
On Tomb-sweeping Day, people can go to graves
Burning papers to kowtow for their forefathers
Yet I can do nothing but to face the great sea
Holing incense and praying on my knees
My forefathers had cultivated there day and night
As if at the back of my house
The small of piece of land was thoroughly clear to my palm
Whenever dusk falls
Afar is full of fishing light on the sea
That is my kinsfolk who returns
From fishing