This anonymous poem, whose provenance is listed only as Communications University of China, Nanjing (南京传媒学院) has circulated widely on social media through the protests and has also been set to music (https://chinadigitaltimes.net/chinese/690479.html) . Its title is “If You’re not willing to walk at the front”. The sung version also has circulated under the title “Every Sheet of White Paper.”

If you’re not willing to walk at the front, please follow our march from behind.
If you’re not willing to follow, please watch from the side of the road.
If you’re not willing to watch, please shout out online.
If you’re not willing to shout out online, please close your eyes in silence,
Sit back, and enjoy the rights we have fought for you;
But don’t turn a blind eye, and don’t sneer
Because the sunlight we have struggled for belongs both to me and to you.

如果你不愿走在前面，请你跟着队伍

如果不愿跟着队伍，请你在路边国观

如果不愿在路边围观，请你在网上呐喊

如果不愿在网上呐喊，请默默闭上你的眼

坐下来，享受我们为你争取来的权利

但不要视而不见，更不要冷嘲热讽

因为争取来的阳光，既属于我也属于你

Translated by Christopher Connery