ISSUE EIGHT: "Gaxyland" by Yuan Changming

Gaxyland

While all my fellow humans hope to
Enter heaven after they die, I am alone
Living in paradise already:

An earthly realm I have built myself
With the light from Lapland, where the setting sun
Shines with the morning glows above golden snow

The air from Shangri-la, where the yin
And yang are in pure and perfect balance with
Each other in every grass, every cloud

The water from Waterton Lakes, which
Reflect the mountain of trees as clearly
As the mountain reflects upon the clear water

That’s all my spirit needs, not the fragments
Of the meaning about Eden long lost
But the whole backyard within my solitary heart

Yuan changming

Yuan Changming hails with Allen Yuan from poetrypacific.blogspot.ca (poetry subs are welcome, year round). Credits include eleven Pushcart nominations and eleven chapbooks (most recently LIMERENCE), besides appearances in Best of the Best Canadian Poetry (2008-17) and BestNewPoemsOnline, among others. Recently, she served on the jury for Canada's 44th National Magazine Awards (poetry category).

Headshot: Yuan Changming

Photo Credit: Staff