Black Silk Chicken

by  Xi Xi
translated by Jennifer Feeley

you gave me a black silk chicken
hoping I’d eat it
and get better
you gave me a black silk chicken
because I’ve been unwell

I cooked up the black silk chicken
devoured every bite
I’m feeling a bit better
truly
a bit better
I devoured every last bite of
the entire black silk chicken
leaving behind
the bones
bones
I cannot eat

one by one
I rinsed the bones with water
dried them in the sun
turns out you can also dip them in ink
and use them for writing
well then, I think I’ll write a thing or two
write a few words
thanking you

Translation from the Chinese

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Spring 2019

First annual city issue devoted to Hong Kong, plus work by Ladan Osman, Rohingya and Tibetan writers, as well as Chinese and Rohingya poetry


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World Literature Today 100th Year