Six Poems: at the Beginning of Each Chapter of
Philip Zhai's Second Philosophy Book
For Chapter 1:
There is another world
wherein this world
is another world
There is another dream
wherein this dream
is another dream
There is not another me
wherein this me
is another me
"Me and World," Z. Zhai, 1997
For Chapter 2:
Having caressed the world
with a burning stroke
Leave it with no despair
but a growing hope
Allow her now to wear
the darkening wardrobe
She will climb
the invisible up-running slope
"Sunset," Z. Zhai, 1997
For Chapter 3:
Mating here are Yin and Yang
Flirting here are the momentary and the eternity
Negotiating here are the high and the low
Wrestling here are the full and the empty
The nothingness is kissing the plentitude
The limited plural is wooing the infinite singularity
"Horizon," Z. Zhai, 1992
For Chapter 4:
At across around,
Into through up'n'down;
Behind below between,
Under onto within.
After among about,
Over upon or out;
Before beneath beyond,
Outside against alone.
Aback above abask,
Aslant asquint astrike;
Again afresh anew,
Astern aslope askew.
"At Beneath Askew," by Z. Zhai, 1987
For Chapter 5:
In a world of
the colorful
She settles behind the veil
Confronting the dazzling sunlight
She annihilates whatever
is fundamentally real
Celebrating the sublime of
the home-coming
She shrinks to the nil
Merging herself deep
into the dark
She embraces them all
"Shadow," Z. Zhai, 1993
For Chapter 6:
Steer your passion out of the little nest
Inhale the whole space into your chest
Stage your final ontological protest
Let the eternal light unfold all the rest
"New Genesis," Z. Zhai, 1997
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