early spring
West Lake, Hangzhou
three glades of light hit the bamboo forests,
filtering through the simmering warmth
of spring. the leaves shimmer as the wind
rustles the branches. the pink sun begins
its descent behind the hills. each meandering
step of the crowd follows the curve
of the causeway, once dredged of mud
and weeds. the perimeter of the lake follows
the logic of an ancient poem. seed fluff falls
like dander, or snow. pollen rouses a dormant
nose. lovers enact a hundred tested scenes,
fingers laced beside the twinkling waters.
some watch the lake from stone benches.
a lone figure reclines on a beanbag pulled
to the water’s edge. there is a solidity to
the waves, consistent across the entirety
of the waters, the structures submerged
beneath it. beauty belies the memory of
the beleaguered and battered body.
there is a manufactured and irresistible
calm. the peace is momentary and sudden.
there is only so much beauty one can bear
alone, the dream of a loving absence.
i listened to the lake. i closed my eyes and
faced the spring breeze. i felt again the ache
and the promise, wrapped as a whisper
on my tongue.
fragrance
grief washes in a stream.
it cleanses, some sing,
a metaphor of water,
a covenant. just like
the image of a waterfall,
grace cascading on
a wedding day, warmth
felt and emanating,
the promise and
realisation of a love:
of words, a smile,
two eyes. sadness
still blooms as the
cosmos. the wind
blows through an
open train window.
the memory of
clotted skies, salted
air. eternity breaks
through as a sublime
blip, before the
formation of any
mountain, any shapes
of the earth. numbered
days are often an
afterthought. flowers
open to the ends
of the universe. songs
lift themselves into
the skies.
Jonathan Chan is a writer, editor, and translator of poems and essays. His first collection of poems, going home (Landmark, 2022), was a finalist for the Singapore Literature Prize in 2024. His second collection is bright sorrow (Landmark, 2025). He serves as Managing Editor of the poetry archive poetry.sg. He has recently been moved by the work of Adam Zagajewski, Refaat Alareer, and Abraham Verghese. More of his writing can be found at jonbcy.wordpress.com.