Farewell My Village

Farewell, My Village 

1
It is here,
That I put on coarse cloth clothes for the first time.
It is here,
That I understood the true meaning of life.
It is here,
Calluses grew in my hands for the first time.
It is here,
That I lay by the faint glow of a bonfire
With farmers of my age for the first time.

Here, oh here,
How many past events
Are unforgettable memories for me?
My second home
I give my deep feelings to thee

I miss your simple smile,
So beautiful all year round.
I miss your hardworking people,
Creating miracles all year round.
I can't forget that shining storm lantern,
Around which we talked about the meaning of life.
I can't forget that sickle,
On which was the sweat of two harvests.
I miss every plant and tree here:
The rushing waters,
The tall poplars,
The sunset reflected in the river,
The dawn ushered in by the kitchen smoke.

Still I miss
The buddies whom I spent day and night with
Those more than six hundred days and nights 

Ah, now the night is still and deep,
Three Orion stars have shifted westward, 
Breaking the thick darkness of the night,
Occasionally, a few roosters crow, greeting daybreak.
Gazing at the boundless fields sweetly dreaming under the stars,
I must bid you farewell, dear land, 
With a tender kiss.

2

Ah, why is it?
The lights are still on all night again tonight.
Could it be that buddies who have been together day and night
Are pouring out their hearts to each other?
Or has the fatigue and weariness of the day
Made them forget to turn off the lights?

Yes, on many sleepless nights 
On the eve of this farewell,
The tears of parting
Wells up again and again in their hearts.

It was in this second homeland
That strangers became friends
Our youthful passion and blood
Stained the red flag of battle
The fiery hearts of young people
Were forged together in the flames

Today, where did this uninvited guest arrive from?
Bringing tidings of separation in the cold wind
A new battle is calling
Dear comrades
Still have goals to accomplish
Still haven’t tasted the joys of union

I see the expression of reluctant separation,
I hear the soft sobbing of girls,
For me, who is about to leave,
The flowing water by the roadside,
Is the trace of my tears.

Ah, let the tears cleanse the heart completely,
The best answer is often silence,
Tears are not unique to weakness,
Those who shed tears often possess strength,
The remembrance of friends,
Sometimes, also becomes a source of inspiration.

3

Filled with the rich scent of the earth,
Carrying precious camaraderie forged in labor,
Those who are about to depart, kneel down,
And kiss this great land once more.
I leave behind a heart divided in two,
But take with me memories complete.
Wipe away your tears, comrade,
You still have to battle the raging waves.
Open your drowsy eyes,
And see clearly:
The strife is far from being over!

December 1976