Grasses
Spring is here. In the soil,
Where hooves used to trample,
Grasses are about to come out.
With unconstrained force of life
The grasses, swaying, stretching,
Spring up — as if by volition!
And they seem to say,
“We don’t care. The one who is to grow, grows.
Sweet dew is upon us; a warm wind is blowing.
The time is now: We can no longer stay buried.
Trample they may as well;
We have a duty to fulfil.”
on the night of 25 December, 1922[?]
Original
The following poem in Chinese appears as it was written originally, any textual ambiguities or irregularities notwithstanding.
草兒
白話詩 十二月十五日夜
春來了—— 草地上——
被牛羊踐踏過的——
草兒——再要發生了。
含蓄著無限生機的
草兒——依依地蓬蓬的——
覺悟似的發出芽來！
似對著人們——說
「不相干——發芽仍舊要發芽，
甜美的露培著，和熙的風吹著，
時候到了，不容生生地埋沒著。
踐踏只得由他罷，
我們亦自各有天職。」