Self-Addressing: A Bilinguacultural Poem by Yuan Changming

In English, the speaker always uses

A proper pronoun to address self

In Chinese, the speaker calls self

More than one hundred different names

 

In E, there is a distinction between

The subject and object case of self

In C, there is no change in writing

Be it a subject or an object

 

In E, the writer spells self with one

Single straight capitalized letter

In C, the writer adds to the character

‘Pursuit’ a stroke symbolizing something

 

In E, “I” ask for democracy, freedom

Individuality, rule of law, among others

In C, “我” is habitually avoided in making

A reply, either in writing or in speaking

 

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Yuan Changming grew up in an impoverished village, began learning English at age 19, and published monographs on translation in China. HIs work has appeared in the Best of the Best Canadian Poetry, BestNewPoemsOnline, and Poetry Daily. He served on the poetry jury for Canada’s 2021 National Magazine Awards and began writing and publishing fiction in 2022. He lives in Vancouver where he edits Poetry Pacific with Allen Yuan.