a song
is a thief who's fled across rooftops
getting away with six colors
and leaving the red hour-hand
on 4 o'clock heaven
4 o'clock detonates
on the rooster's head
and it's 4 o'clock delirium
a song
is an ever hostile tree
across the border
it unleashes that promise
that wolf-pack feeding on tomorrow
a song
is a mirror that knows the body by heart
is the emperor of memory
is the waxen tongue
flame of talk
is the flower garden murtured by myth
is a steam locomotive
bursting into the church
a song
is the death of a singer
his death-night
pressed into black records
singing over and over and over
Bei Dao
