Cathy Xinman is a longtime resident of Canada who writes poems in English and Chinese. Below, you can read her English-language poem, “Ode to the New Year”, which the Toronto Spark is publishing to welcome the Year of the Dragon. Ms. Xinman’s English-language collection is titled Where You Love Yourself.
Ode to the New Year
I fall in love with the feeling of the New Year，
I hope my love makes it joyful，
I hope my anticipation makes it exciting,
I like it leaning towards me.
Our distance is so close,
so close,
my breath is all you.
I fall in love with the feeling of you stepping into the sun and moon.
Your footsteps carry the reach of spring flowers
on mountain peaks, in valleys, beside me, in the distance.
We spent so much loneliness and isolation,
used so much difficulty and longing.
Our hopes, our love
have all arrived.
Your voice is climbing.
Ah, you’re like a warrior,
strong and heroic.
You belong to the earth, to humanity.
Together we created numerous journeys.
I fall in love with the feeling of time.
I hope my love makes it happy.
Let me face you and sing loudly
like great waves creating a spectacular scene.
Let me praise you passionately.
I fall in love with the feeling of happiness.
Happiness is falling in love with you
if I see spring
blossoming in your eyes.
Learn more about the communities that make up Canada on the Toronto Spark website.
