I Am a Primeval River /我是一条古老的河流 (Anna Yin translating 远帆‘s Chinese poem

Yuan Fan is a Chinese poet, reciter, and advocate for public poetry, as well as a partner of “Reading Poetry for You.” He explores the poetic essence of life and its very being, often through visual media. Formerly based in Mississauga, Canada, he has since traveled widely and is known as the “Flying Poet.” His poetry collection I Am an Ancient River, along with other acclaimed works, has been widely celebrated.

Anna Yin was Mississauga’s Inaugural Poet Laureate (2015-2017) and has authored seven poetry collections （five in English） and four books of poetry translation. Her poems/translations have appeared at Queen’s Quarterly, ARC Poetry, New York Times, China Daily, CBC Radio, World Journal etc. Anna won poetry awards from Canada, USA and China. She has read on Parliament Hill, at Austin International Poetry Festival, Edmonton Poetry Festival etc. Her website: annapoetry.com

我是一条古老的河流
作者：远帆（一民）

我是一条古老的河流
我散漫在原野上
像如歌的行板 … …

我没有齐整的岸柳砌石
我不是地图学者比着直尺
划下的一条精确的线段”

我不重复别人也不重复自己
每片波涛每朵浪花每条行进的路线
失败帮助我识别着道路
像密林中艰难的行蟒
我自有铁的约束
—-向前

我走着
像一个农夫走向他忠实的土地
我走着
像一个少女走向她欢蜜的夜晚
我走着
像一个将军走向他仪仗如林的兵团

山崖前
我沉思成一条深涧
广原上 我舒展作一片平滩
我并不羞愧浅露在阳光下
水草、鱼群和彩色的石子
我愿一切一切 都清澈可见

我的盛夏浑浊而暴愠
我的秋天凝重而虚涵
我柔软起伏的前胸迎着春天的絮语
我还给冬天以 —坚冰

我是旭日前金子般烁动的欢呼呵
我是月夜里恬静温馨的感念
我拥有满河的星斗
在每一个晴明的夜间
我容得下 整个宇宙！

我时时幻想着另一条快乐而美丽的小河
在前方等待着和我汇流结伴
在每个雨后深蓝的夜里
我似乎远远地听到了她
深情的呼唤
我甚至觉得我全部的呼啸腾骧
原不过是为着她
为了博得她
美好嫣然的一粲

我是纯净透明的爱心呵
弥合了大地的裂痕
给世界以和平的祝愿
我绿草滩上云游着土白色的群羊
我的晨钟接着暮鼓
晚霞 飘进了炊烟……

我流过的地方留下生命的黑壤
在古老的风车旁 推动如花的叶片
我葡匐着吻着一切善良的生物
而对那些贵族一样傲岸的
我高望着天 —-

天上涌动着我无尽的波涛呵
那午后升腾如烟的积雨云
煎熬着翻滚着爱与恨的情感
当我重返大地的时候
请记住 我是甘霖
也夹着雷鸣电闪

我渴望着像那些伟大的父亲般的河流
鲜花一样把勋业缀满襟前
然而我知道 我也必须淮备着
像一条地下河 日复一日
无声无息地流过黑暗

我默默无闻但决不碌碌无为
对大地的不平 我不会缄口不言
我有敏感到脆弱的神经
我有多情到多愁的情感
我将预言
每一场丰乐和每一场灾难

我是一棵横卧大地
根系发达的大树
无数源泉迢遥地流成了我的今天
我早过古老的非洲村落
说书人口传的编年史
我就是历史呵
并将洗礼所有尚未出现的纪元

追逐着万古不息的风
飞驰着我的梦想
那诗一般雪白眩目的帆
滑向那渺远的 我的归宿
—-海
那蓝色自由的王国

我是一条古老的河流
一首古老的民谣
一缕古老的诗思
一句古老的诺言

我的形状像一条远去的道路
坚定地流动着
履行 我-自-己-
穿过无尽无休的
白昼和夜晚 ……

1982.6

I Am a Primeval River
Poem by Yuanfan, translated by Anna Yin 2026/6/09

I am a primeval river.
I wander across plains
in a singing andante.

No aligned willows or stacked stones hem me in.
I am not a line drawn precisely
by a geographer’s ruler.

I repeat no one—not even myself.
Through every current, every spray
of blossoms, every winding course,
each failure teaches me the way ahead.
Like a python winding through dense forests,
I retain an iron vow:
Forward!

I surge forward
like a farmer toward his faithful land.
I press forward
like a maiden toward her sweet secret night.
I forge forward
like a general toward his marching army.

Before cliffs
I deepen into a dark ravine.
Across meadows
I spread into shining shallows.
Beneath sunlight, I hide nothing —
riverweed, schools of fish, colored pebbles…
I wish for all
to remain in clear view.

My midsummer is rich with tempers;
my autumn, solemn and embracing.
I rise in curves to welcome spring’s whispers.
I return in winter as solid ice.

I am the cheers that flare like gold before sunrise.
I am the hush of reverence under moonlight.
I hold a river brimming with stars.
On each radiant night
I carry the entire universe!

I often dream of another beautiful, bright stream
waiting ahead to join me.
On indigo nights after rain
I almost hear her from far away—
a call from the soul.
I feel all my rushing and roaring
exist merely for her—
to win
her tender, enchanting smile.

I am a heart of sheer, pure love,
mending the rifts of the earth,
offering blessings to the world.
Along my green shore,
flocks of white sheep roam.
In sunsetting glow,
village cooking smoke drifts.
My morning bells answer evening drums…

Wherever I flow,
I leave behind the dark, fertile soil…
By the wheeling ancient windmill,
I bend to kiss every kind creature;
but before those as arrogant as aristocrats,
I lift my gaze high toward the sky.

Endless billows surge within me heavenward.
Afternoon cumulus clouds rise,
brewing and churning in love and hate.
When I return,
remember:
I am the sweet dew,
accompanied by thunder and lightning.

I long to become one of those great father-rivers
with grand deeds flourishing along its banks.
Yet I know I must also endure
like an underground river,
day after day
silently passing through darkness.

I am unknown, yet never idle or empty.
I will not remain silent before injustices
My nerves are tuned to sensitivity and fragility.
My heart is attuned to passion and pathos.
I will prophesy
every harvest and every disaster!

I lie across the earth like a mighty tree—
roots spreading deep below.
Countless springs gather and form my present self.
I am older than ancient African villages,
older than the storytellers’ chronicles.
I am living history;
I will baptize each coming era.

Chasing the ceaseless winds,
my dream takes flight—
the snow-white sail
glides toward the far-off ocean,
my destination,
the free blue kingdom!

I am an ancient river,
an ancient folk song,
an ancient poetic thread,
an ancient promise.

I take the shape of a long winding road,
determined to press forward,
becoming myself, fulfilling myself,
crossing endless days and nights