The Happiness of a Snow Flake (excerpt)

The Happiness of a Snow Flake (excerpt)

Author: Xu Zhimo (1897—1931)

If I were a snow flake, 

Halfway on the carefree journey I would take,

I would know for certain where to go,

Flying, flying, flying,

In the direction I would be eying.

During my elegant dance in the air, 

I would find her serene dwelling somewhere. 

I would wait in her garden for her coming, 

Flying, flying, flying.

Ah! She smells as fragrant as an ume tree blossoming!

Then I would take advantage of my light weight,

Gently, to attach myself to one of her lapels,

To approach her bosom like entering a pond of soft ripples.

Melting, melting, melting,

I would merge into her bosom’s soft ripples!

Xu is one of the most important figures of modern Chinese poetry who strove to loosen Chinese poetry from its traditional forms.

He fell in love with Lu Xiaoman in 1924, and wrote this poem at the end of the same year, using the metaphor of snowflakes to express his pursuit of love and beauty.