Stone Cell

An overview of fifty years of one of China's most vital living poets
A companion volume to Lo Fu’s book-length poem Driftwood (Zephyr Press, 2006), Stone Cell compiles writing from every decade of his celebrated literary career.“Beyond Logic”Do you know why rivers cling to their banks?Because they only have one way of dyingEven with two banks, the ferries have no choiceWe’d prefer an incendiary bombTo smelling the scorched stench of the setting sunAs long as I live I’m destined to swallow those awful sonnetsTurning to the last page—Still those damned sonnetsThis is a cemetery where a single voice is buriedIt echoes in the heart, an eagle circles the brinkIf it’s a thorn, let it pierce blood with loveIf it’s a poppy, let a smile blossom on the lipsThe poet’s philosophy of lifeis an unwillingness to dieLo Fu is the author of twelve volumes of poetry. He has won all the major literary awards in Taiwan, including the China Times Literary Award and the National Literary Award. Zephyr’s previous book by Lo Fu, Driftwood, was noted as one of the “poetry books of the year” on the Poetry Foundation’s blog Harriet.John Balcom has translated more than a dozen books into English from Chinese. He is an associate professor and head of the Chinese program at the Monterey Institute. Balcom’s recent publications include Taiwan’s Indigenous Writers: An Anthology of Stories, Essays, and Poems, which received the 2006 Northern California Book Award.

Translator: John Balcom

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