Aust Winner 澳洲长风论坛

[許其正]

Odes to Mother

1

The dawning light has still not driven darkness into
the corner of the wall
But she has already got up
And stepped into the kitchen

Red flames are shining her face red
The choking smoke has made her tearful
But she has no complaint

Her delicate hands can make
Every tasteful flavor
And every sweet life

2

The bleaching power of time
Is doing its work on her head
Dyeing her hair snow-white

The knife of hard work
Is carving her face
Into many wrinkles

How brilliant are her white hair and wrinkles
In which hidden are love and beauty
And the children’s respect and gratitude for her

3

There are two hands in my heart
Which are the most beautiful in the world
Though coarse and wrinkled

Those are the hands doing the housework
Those are the hands waving the cradle
Those hands, of course, were once smooth and delicate

Though coarse and wrinkled
Those are the most beautiful hands in the world
Because they are Mother’s hands