The Ship of Hourglass

[顏雪花Catherine Yen]

(photograph by Thomas Barby)

The Ship of Hourglass

The voyage left the feature of hourglass
The route staggered on sea map
Loaded in one port
Unloaded in another
Slicked oil captivated the callous compass

Above the waterline
The ship gave a constant rise
Puzzled by the fatality
Following the moving force and waves
Waterfowl pampered the blowing season wind
The flag fooled the weary mast

Under the waterline
With the thick and heavy mood
Broad and free the ocean flows the deep loneliness
Moss and barnacles parasitically adhere the ship bottom
Aware its rusty speed of a painting glamour

The ship of hourglass , a hazy feature of voyage
The departure whistle calms the anchoring eagerness
My eyes are lost in the meditation
The callous sea
What's then of the people ashore?


Translated by: Catherine yen
Remarks: The translation is based on poet, Chang Te-Pen's poetry:沙漏的船