South China Cicada
no human ear has ever heard of you
cloistering yourself deep in the soil
silently sucking all sounds from roots
for more than thirteen years in a row
until high up on a summer painted twig
you slough off your earthly self
pouring all your being in a single song
before the sun sets for the yellow leaf
Yuan Changming published monographs on translation before leaving his native country. Currently, Yuan edits Poetry Pacific with Allen Qing Yuan in Vancouver. Credits include ten Pushcart nominations & publications in Best of the Best Canadian Poetry (2008-17) & BestNewPoemsOnline, among others.
