Chou Meng-Tieh's My Choices 周夢蝶 我選擇最後一人成究竟覺 Poem by Frank Yue

My Choices
- Chou Meng-Tieh (1921-2014)
- Translated by Frank C Yue


I choose to be my teacher Water -Why?
Water fills up in places high,
(And when it downwards flows)
Water fills up places low.
I choose Grass as my life -
The grass is resilient like so,
You can just roll it up;
Uproot it, and the heart is still full of strife.
I choose to read one's books and poetry,
Without knowing the person's history.
I choose to write an essay good,
Without an excellent sentence (as it should) .

I choose to walk slowly, from here to afar -
(Maybe to reach the yonder stars...)
Slowly merging with the setting Sun,
And the hills beyond hills, into One;
I'll not deviate slightly (-you'll find)
From this chosen path of mine.
I choose not to have any thoughts,
When things are noughts;
I choose to have a mind fluttered not,
When things are in chaos.
I choose finally to be awakened,
So I could be enlightened.



"我選擇"周夢蝶 (1921-2014)

我選擇以水為師 -高處高平，低處低平。
我選擇以草為性命，
如卷施，根拔而心不死。
我選擇讀其書誦其詩，而不必識其人。
我選擇不妨有佳篇而無佳句。
我選擇漸行漸遠，
漸與夕陽山外山外山為一，
而曾未徧離足下一毫末。
我選擇無事一念不生，有事一心不亂。
我選擇最後一人成究竟覺