One Thought, a Mortal Life · Stubborn and Foolish by Nature · 43 / 102
· Nine Nines Return to One
Splash cold water, boil hot water—cold, then hot, and the empty lane comes to the boil. Tend the raw earth, plant wildflowers. Gourds on their sprawling vines drum in the glad rain; the scent of fruit spills over.
Sweep-the-floor dance, mop-the-floor dance—sweeping and mopping, and good things on the way. Lay by the and the inkstone, set out wine for a toast. Nine years of one heart through every coming and going—old friends gather.
*This piece is an original work. If you repost it, please credit the original author Shixi Lin; any infringement, once discovered, will be pursued for legal liability. In addition, the accompanying illustration comes from the internet and belongs to its original artist, Yichui Wuyue.