Summer 2015
Acknowledgements
Editor – Victoria (Fan Youyou) 2012.4
Assistant Editor – Maria (Zheng Ying) 2012.4
2ndAssistant Editor – Nancy (Li Huimin) 2013.12
Issue Cover Art -- ???
Faculty Advisor – Sarah Seveney
Letter from the Editor
Dear Readers,
Spring has left us, and we’re in summer now. So, here is our summer issue. Welcome you here to celebrate the heat and spirit of summer, and to enjoy the summer-themed literary works.
Submit your writing (and art!) to our email inbox: writtenworld@163.com Your suggestions are always welcome!
Yours Truly,
Victoria
Molly (Xing Zhongxiu)2013.12
Untitled
Everything is energetic
Everything is tiring
Night is wonderful
Day is sleepy
This is summer
The streams love singing like birds
The sunshine is exciting
The rainbow shows her beauty
This is summer
Open you door!
Open your window!
Nature will never refuse you.
Gillian（GuPengbo) 2013.8
Wake Me Up on Summer Days
Summer is coming
heat fills the air
watermelon and ice cream come to mind.
Like you did when spring began,
wake me up
when summer’s sunshine finds my eyes.
As flowers bloom wildly
we release ourselves
no matter what rain pours down
where summer starts,
when dreams begin.
Allen(Zhao Zhilong) 2013.9
My Childhood in Summer
The dearest memories in my mind are the ones of spending time at my grandparents’ house during the summer holiday. My grandparents live in a village, a nice place full of nature. They have no TV or other entertainment there…not even air conditioning. I have a good time there anyway.
In the morning, I awaken to the scent of summer coming in from the window, a scent that seems to come up from the very center of the planet. At noon, the sun means business. Suddenly the warmth is different, and deeper yellow sunbeams find the ground.
I get so thirsty that my grandpa gives me watermelon. I miss those watermelons, so cool and sweet. I usually share one with the other kids, even if I don’t know their names.
In the evening, I am fond of counting the stars with my grandpa. In my memories, grandpa is a knowledgeable man. He always tells me things I don’t know, and interesting stories to make me remember. But now, he’s been dead for so long. I miss him the most in the summertime.
CoCo( )
Summer
The rain beats the lotus
splashing countless beads,
on the edge of the pool.
A quiet girl sits down on the stones
dreamy and melancholy.
The cool weather today
adds to the sadness in her heart
She feels more and more like a ghost.
The rain beats the lotus
bit by bit.
Helen(Li Yixi) 2013.7
Molly (Xing Zhongxiu)2013.12
Untitled
It was summertime when I first saw you. We were both so young, but all I have to do is close my eyes, and I am there again.
I’m standing there under the tree in the summer air. When I first saw you, you stood on the playground, the sun shining on you. You wore the white t-shirt that I love best. In the warm air, I held my breath and was breathless at the same time. I watched you. You walked toward me, smiled at me, and like an angel, said, “Come with me.” I nodded.
During that summer, we did everything we liked to do together, everything we wanted. We saw movies, ate delicious food, sang out on the roof, and more. You gave me so much then, and I’ll be grateful forever.
I thought it would last forever, and it didn’t, but thank you anyway. I will never forget the summer I first saw you, and when I walk on the playground in the sun, I miss you.
Chelsea(Guan Yajie) 2014.9
Summer is coming;
wheat is ripe.
Harvest is coming;
people are happy.
Vera (Zhao Juanjuan) 2013.8
Under the Luoyang bridge, last year
a boy taught me how to skate, at night.
We are not together now,
but I think of him in the summer darkness.
Alice(Guo Xiaofang) 2013.6
Hot Summer and a Man
A violent storm skims over the country
The man feels cool, and on his face is a smile
Hard rain drops onto the village
The thirst of dry land is quenched,
and it smiles at the man
The storm and the rain stop
The man and the land are still.
Ella,2013.8
One Day
Hundreds of miracles are hidden behind summer. I try to discover them and find out those unknown surprises. In the early morning, the fragrance of jasmine flowers is all around me. This brings me a kind of relief. Flowers are in full bloom, welcoming a new beginning when the sun rises up.
At noon, I will take a nap with the sound of cicadas. Those cicadas are full of vigor. They give their last strength to prove their existence to us. Their voices make a wonderful symphony, rotating in the sky.
I like the summer nights best. After dinner, my family likes to go for walks along the rice fields. We talk, laugh, see the fireflies flying low and listen to the frogs singing happily. The stars are shining in the sky. They lighten the road to home.
Eventually, the world goes into silence. Everything falls into sleep. If you walk the street at midnight, you will smell the light fragrance of flowers.
Jessica (Yu Yan) 2013.8
Artist Name
Summer
Summer is a hot, sexy woman.
She shows her passion to everyone, whether you like her or not.
She comes to everyone warmly, when the leaves turn dark blue,
when the cicadas buzz….when you are ready to take off your coat.
She is not like spring, who is much softer.
She is not like autumn, who is much cooler.
She is not like winter, who is much saner.
She’s one of a kind.
You will be moved by her passion, surprised by her beauty,
affected by her happiness.
Finally, you will fall in love.
Bernice
Molly (Xing Zhongxiu)2013.12
The Sea of Summer
The weather is hot, the sun is shining, and there are many people on the sandy beach. They’re swimming, playing, and enjoying the sunshine.
Facing the sea, you are free. You can fly like the seagulls, and your heart is like the hot sun, with passion enough to face your life and do with it what you want.
When you are still and thinking to yourself, when the sea wind sways in your face, when you are listening to the sound of the sea, everything will be set aside. You are just yourself and you will be at ease.
When the sun shines on the water, you can see all the light on the surface. It’s just like the hope in your life, so bright it can blind you. Go to the ocean and find out for yourself.
Wendy (Ma Xiaoxiao)2014.8
Summer in My Eyes
Walking the crisscrossed footpaths between fields,
I can see no derelict land.
Great fruit trees and lush balsam trees are rustling in the wind.
I reach a pond covered with bulky lotus leaves and small caltrop leaves.
On the grass, the girls are wearing beautiful dresses,
and dancing like butterflies.
Some girls are playing games.
Others are sitting on the lawn to rest.
I watch them as they make wreaths of hibiscus flowers.
Every morning, with the first ray of sunshine,
accompanied by light music,
I run out on the grounds.
Sofia(Liu Manman) 2013.12
The Midsummer Night's Dream
Here's a sleepy forest
I've forgotten why I came here
I might have come to seek a light
Your smile，like the bright of moon, highlighted here
I might have come to seek a sound
Your whisper，like the singing of nightingales，moved here
Through the bushes and trees
I saw two paths
The narrow one was engulfed by darkness
while the other one showed warmth
The night was softened with moonshine
Turning around，escaping,
I fell into the darkness
Here's a sleepy forest
I've forgotten why I came here
When I fell down and sank into the lake
awoke from the midsummer night's dream
The forest was bathed in moonlight
and your happiness.
Andrea (Shang Xiaojuan)2013.5
Parting Summer
Finally saying goodbye
To this long and confused summer
Searing air burns hearts
White gardenias fling their fragrance
Wave to happiness and sadness
Smile for the days we still treasure
Hold our hands in the wind
Think of the time we spent together
Years later, on a similar night
Open the faded autograph book
All handwriting looks fuzzy here
Only the gardenias inside
Keep a lingering fragrance
Abby(Fan Qimeng) 2013.8
Graduation
Many students came here four years ago, and now they’re ready to leave. They have many precious memories from their four years at this university, including both the good memories and the bad. At the moment of parting ways, many meaningful recollections resurface again.
Scene 1
When she first comes to Nanyang Normal University with the letter of admission, she’s very excited. Everything is new.
Scene 2
Today is her birthday, she has nearly forgotten it. But, her roommates remember. They prepare a cake to celebrate with her. This is a big surprise to her. When her roommates sing the birthday song for her, she is truly touched, and cries.
Scene 3
A lot of boys play basketball on the playground. They are full of energy. Though all of them drip with sweat in the first five minutes, they’re happy. This is youthfulness.
Scene 4
This is about love. They meet at this university and fall in love. Because of some unfortunate circumstances, they break up. But it isn’t the end. Because of their love, they find their way back together.
These scenes are not all that there is to university life, but they have happened to many of us here. These memories are so precious. Whenever we think about them, we feel content.
Caroline (Han Yanying)2013.14
Artist Name
ASummer Story
When I was young, I liked to go to my aunt’s home. Near her home, there was a small river. The water was very cold, and many people swam there. There was nothing better than swimming in this river in summer.
There was one summer when I was still too small to swim. The only thing that I could do was sit by the side of the river and put my feet into the cold water. One day, I was sitting like that, and suddenly realized I couldn’t see my sisters and brothers. I was so scared. A moment later, they appeared on the other side of the river, and smiled at me. I was surprised and impressed. I made up my mind to become a skillful swimmer, and be able to play with them.
Unfortunately, by the time I mastered swimming, the river as I knew it didn’t exist anymore. Because there was a new restaurant built next to the river, dirty water from it ended up being poured into the river. The water became more and more dirty. No one can swim there now.
How I wish I could go back to that summer now, to play in the river water happily, with my family. Never take the experiences of summer for granted.
Caroline (Han Yanying)2013.14
Lotus of My Heart
I am a blooming lotus flower.
How I wish
you could see what I am now.
Frost has not come to encroach on me
Rain has not dropped here, either
Youth’s season has gone away
I am the most beautiful now.
The heavy door closes
after the attractive smiling face.
Who knows what is on my heart
Ah, my love
you come either too early or too late.
（Li Jing）2014.1
Untitled
If the mood is good enough, we’ll go travelling.
If the waves are big enough, we’ll go surfing.
If the wind is strong enough, we’ll go kite-flying.
Because the happy times
go so quickly
Who can hold on to them?
Neither I nor you.
Daisy (Wang Yirong) 2013.10
Summer’s Night
Summer is coming,
passionately and fervidly,
into the earth and our lives.
I like summer, especially summer’s night.
Summer’s night is peaceful,
full of loveliness and tranquility.
When walking along the river,
You can hear the clean and melodious sound
flowing in drops, touching our young minds.
Summer’s night is quiet
full of coziness and freedom.
When stepping out in the countryside,
you can listen for all the unique sounds of insects
rustling in groups, knocking their hearts out.
Summer’s night is cool,
full of pleasure and refreshment.
When strolling in the avenue,
You can have the feeling of comfort,
relaxation and happiness, making us entirely free from worry.
Summer’s night is beautiful,
full of mysteries and reveries.
When wandering on the earth
looking at the sparkle of stars,
you can have endless fanciful thoughts,
indulging in the night, dreaming our futures.
Summer’s night is alive,
full of laughter and happiness.
When talking jovially with men and women, old and young, in the park,
you can enjoy the harmony between humanity and nature,
and gasp in admiration of life.
Summer is splendid, especially summer’s night.
It gives us a deep longing
to indulging in it and never want to leave it.
Sun(Jin Shenglan) 2012.4
Artist Name
Be Brave in Your Love
On the university’s campus, if you see many people wearing baccalaureate gowns and taking photos, or pulling suitcases, ready to leave, it means summer is coming and they’re graduating.
Graduation always has different meanings for different people. Some of them may have a sense of freedom, because they have come to the end of their school lives and will become members of society. Others may choose to further their studies. Graduation had a special meaning for Betty and Henry.
Let’s go back to 4 years ago. Betty and Henry are both freshman in the university, and they don’t know each other until they’re both invited to a friend’s birthday party. At the party, they’re playing truth or dare. Betty is chosen to say “I love you” to someone, and as if it were destiny, she chooses Henry. Maybe it’s just a game, but love really grows between them. During the months that follow that day, they fall in love.
In their sophomore and junior years, they create many sweet memories. They also have the occasional fight, but that doesn’t influence their relationship. Betty is very kind, beautiful and understanding, and Henry is very considerate, and gentle. Because of this, they love each other so much.
In the beginning of their senior year, things start to change. Betty is in agony, because her parents learn that she is in love. They are not satisfied with Henry, because he’s from a different city, and his background is not impressive to them. They think their daughter deserves a better man. So they tell Betty that they must broke up after graduation. Many of her friends also break up at this time, because they believe there is no realistic future with their college boyfriends. This period of time is really hard for Betty, with all the love and relationships around her ending. She is always a good girl to her parents, and she doesn’t want to disappoint them, but she loves Henry. She knows Henry well, she knows he is so brilliant and studies hard because he wants to provide a good life for his lovely girlfriend. She feels torn.
Meanwhile, Henry knows something is happening with Betty, and he can guess at what it is. He understands Betty, and he doesn’t want to lose her. As Betty’s birthday is coming, Henry decides to make a plan.
On the evening of her birthday, Henry asks Betty to meet him at the place where they first met. When she arrives there, the restaurant is closed. She’s very confused and ready to leave, when suddenly a video plays on the wall. It’s a cartoon, and the plot is the story of Henry and her. After the video, a bunch of candles are lit in the shape of a heart. Then Henry comes up to her with a bunch of flowers. “Happy birthday, darling. I’m not sure if I can hold every birthday party for you in the future, and I will respect your choice, but what I want to say is that I really enjoy every moment that we spend together. I know I’m nothing now, but I really want to create a future with you. So, will you bet on me? Marry me!”
As he proposes, he gets down on one knee and takes out a ring. Betty is shocked and moved greatly, she doesn’t even notice as their friends gather around. She looks straight at Henry. She knows that Henry is the right one and she doesn’t want to shake. “Yes, I will,” she says firmly.
“WOW!” Everyone cheers for this moment, and many of the girls are so moved by Henry’s action and Betty’s response. Henry pauses for a moment, looking at Betty wearing his ring. Then, he kisses her.
Betty decides to bring Henry to see her parents; she wants to get her parents’ blessing. After two days observation, her parents’ attitude toward Henry changes a lot. The young couple goes back to school joyfully. To make a good memory for their future, they decided to hold a mini wedding on the school grounds at graduation.
It’s a sunny day, with a mild breeze. In the green field, with thousands of students watching, Betty and Henry have their wedding with happiness on their faces.
While few graduates have stories like Betty and Henry, what I want to express us all is this. People often say graduation season is break-up season. But I don’t think so. If you really love someone, don’t be beaten down by distance or “reality.” If anything, that’s just an excuse. If you give up on real love once, it’s hard to say if you will have another chance.
Elena (Liu Jiannan)2013.14
Fantastic Experiences
From the point of view of the people in southern China, summer is always something hot and impetuous. A little boy is walking in the woods to look for a cool place to rest. Suddenly, he finds that there is a well under a towering old tree. He hears a voice coming from the well. The little boy curiously walks near, and looks down into it. The world goes dark.
When he wakes up, a vast panorama stretches before him. The lands are even and open. The houses are tidy. The view is crisscrossed with plenty of fertile farmlands, nice ponds, mulberry bushes, forests of bamboo, and the like. Roosters and dogs could be heard. Men and women, wearing foreign-looking clothing, are busily cultivating the soil. All seem happy and content.
They are astonished to see the little boy, and a native asks where he comes from. The little boy readily answers all questions. The man invites the little boy to his home, then busily pours wine, kills hens, and prepares dishes of food. Hearing of the new boy, the other villagers immediately come and ask questions enthusiastically. They tell him that their ancestors came to this secluded spot to escape the great disorder of the Qing Dynasty. From that time on, they have never been out of their secret place, and therefore have been secluded from the world.
The boy realizes that they know nothing of the Han Dynasty, let alone the Ming Dynasty and Qing Dynasties. He tells them what he knows, and they can’t help having all sorts of strange feelings welling up their minds. They all invite the little boy to their homes and serve him different wines and foods. After staying with them for several days, the little boy finally leaves. As he says goodbye to them, one man says, “This place is not worth mentioning to outsiders, understand?’’.
Climbing out of the well, the little boy finds his cap nearby. He goes home to his parents, who were anxiously waiting and worrying. A week later, the little boy goes to the well again, hoping to continue his fantastic travels. However, when he arrives, he finds nothing there this time. The well has disappeared!
Sofia(Liu Manman) 2013.12
Artist Name
Japanese Poem?
The Song of Summer
Li Bai
On a mirror lake outspread for miles and miles,
The lotus lilies in full blossom teem.
In fifth moon Xi Shi gathers them with smiles,
Watchers overwhelm the bank of Yuoye Sream.
Her boat turns back without waiting for moonrise,
To the royal house amid amorous sighs.
Translated by:
Molly (Xing Zhongxiu)2013.12
.
Translator’s Note:
This poem used lotus as the associational development and used Xi Shi to plaint so many people take woman`s beauty seriously.
“Exquisite Corpse” Inspired Mini-Poems
(“Exquisite Corpse”: a writing game from the 1900’s in which a group of people create strange, interesting sentences…or poems.)
The ugly dog angrily sees the yellow star
He looks at the distant star as if he’s ready
To come at it
Roaming in the sky.
Emily (Tang Tiantian) 2013.5
The beautiful girl slowly moves to the strange place
She moves to the very place
Where her heart lives, and can finally rest.
Nancy (Fang Rui) 2013.10
The hot flower quickly ate the sweet cloud
The clumsy sun knocked down the giant clock
Time froze, you should have been back.
Sue (Qian Xiaoyuan) 2013.10
The Herald of Summer
The green tea loudly throws the long song
with the faint scent
I heard a cicada crying afar.
Andrea (Shang Xiaojuan)2013.5
Experiment with English…try it with your friends…
“The adjective noun adverb verb the adjective noun.”
