Mu Cao 墓草 (b.1974, Henan, China) is a contemporary Chinese poet of working-class background. His poems explore queer desire and working-class life on the fringe of Chinese society.

Six Poems by Mu Cao

translated by Hongwei Bao

Mu Cao 墓草 (b.1974, Henan, China) is a contemporary Chinese poet of working-class background. His poems explore queer desire and working-class life on the fringe of Chinese society. He has published six poetry collections and four works of fiction. His novel Qi’er 弃儿 (In the Face of Death We Are Equal), translated into English by Scott Meyers, was published by Seagull Press in 2019. His short story collection Gudu de bianyuan 孤独的边缘 (The Lonely Fringe) and poetry collection Zai diceng 在底层 (On the Underside) were published by Showwe Press in Taipei in 2023. His accolades include the Jianghu 江湖 (Freebooters) magazine Underground Poetry Award in 2015 and the Prince Claus Impact Award (the Netherlands) in 2024.

同志

 

我没有握过幸福的手

幸福的手应该是女性的手

能够包容男性的手

我忘记了性别

但没忘记向幸福伸出手

 

这是孤独的手

我脆弱的插进自己的口袋

这是冰冷的手

它寻找着相同的体温

 

(2002年7月5日)

Comrades


I’ve never held a happy hand
the hand of a woman
who can take care of men
I forget about the sex
but haven’t forgotten to reach out for happiness


it’s a lonely hand
that I frailly put in my pockets
it’s a cold hand
that longs for another one of the same temperature


(5 July 2002) 

西海子公园

 

在中国   有公园的地方

总有同性恋者的脚步

这是县城的一个小小的公园

没有花朵   只有石头和树木

听说这里的他们都很饥渴

 

在靠近WC不远处

游逛  注视  叹息  忧郁

痴呆   自卑  发泄  孤寂

我像你一样  我像他一样

你和他像我一样被生活抛弃

 

在中国有黑暗的角落

总有弱势人群的呻吟

 

(2002年7月13日)

Xihaizi Park 

 

in China  where there are parks

there are homosexuals’ footprints

this is a tiny park in a county town

no flowers   only rocks and trees

they say men are a bit desperate here

 

they gather around the WC

pace  gaze  and sigh   then fall into sadness  

freeze  self-pity  and let go  then sink back into loneliness 

both you and me   both him and me

all of us abandoned children of life

 

in China where there are dark corners

there are these men’s groans 

 

(13 July 2002)

朱星先生在南礼士路公园等我

 

第一次到南礼士路公园

遇见了朱星先生

他带我找了三所公厕

人来人往的 我不好意思硬

 

朱星先生约我在南礼士路公园见面

我坐728公交去了

朱星先生带我去了浴池

 

朱星先生约我在南礼士路公园见面

我坐728公交去了

朱星先生带我去吃烤鸭

 

朱星先生约我在南礼士路公园见面

我坐728公交去了

朱星先生带我去买白先勇的《孽子》

 

朱星先生还约我在南礼士路公园见面

我在梦中坐728公交去了

朱星先生像父亲第一次在寒风中等我

 

(2002年12月10日)

Mr Zhu Xing Waited For me in Nanlishilu Park

 

The first time I met Mr Zhu Xing

was in Nanlishilu Park

he took me to three public toilets

people came and went   I couldn’t get hard

 

Mr Zhu Xing asked me to meet him in Nanlishilu Park

I went by bus No. 728

Mr Zhu Xing took me to a bathhouse 

 

Mr Zhu Xing asked me to meet him in Nanlishilu Park

I went by bus No. 728

Mr Zhu Xing treated me to roast duck

 

Mr Zhu Xing asked me to meet him in Nanlishilu Park

I went by bus No. 728

Mr Zhu Xing bought me a copy of Pai Hsien-yung’s Crystal Boys

 

Mr Zhu Xing kept asking me to meet him in Nanlishilu Park

in my dream I went by bus No. 728 

like a father, Mr Zhu Xing waited for me in the chilly wind 

 

(10 December 2002)

送别

 

像花一样的男人

他使用水果一样的语言

即使忧伤

也是冰淇淋味道的

他的脸上没有贴防伪标记

酒让他的颜色

更接近我的心情

 

他说, 他不能再喝了

他有糖尿病

每天在打针

拥抱像花一样的男人

感受他身体深处的呻吟

 

(2014年1月15日)

Farewell

 

the flower-like man 

speaks the language of fruits

even his melancholy 

carries the smell of ice-cream

there’s no label on his face

alcohol brings the colour of his skin

closer to my mood

 

he says he can drink no more

he says he’s diagnosed with diabetes 

he says he injects insulin every day 

I hug the flower-like man

I feel the pain deep in his body 

 

(15 January 2014) 

K4212列车上

 

火车奔跑

我的血也奔跑

很高兴认识你

很高兴你不是女人

坐在我的对面

让我找不到你脸上的雀斑

你的眼睛拒绝双眼皮

鼻子拒绝歪

嘴巴紧闭

哦 ……

很高兴认识你

很高兴看到你穿着和蓝天一样蓝的

牛仔裤

你不穿裤子我会更高兴

你体内的小蝌蚪想和我对话吗

你体内的小蝌蚪想和我对话吗

你体内的小蝌蚪想和我对话吗

 

(2019年2月12日)

On the K4212 Train

 

the train is racing 

as is my blood 

nice to meet you 

I’m pleased that you, not a woman

are sitting opposite me

I can’t spot any freckle on your face

your eyes refuse to wear double lids

Your nose refuses to bend

Your mouth tightly shut

Oh…

great to see you

great to see your jeans 

as blue as the sky 

even greater if you take them off

would your sperms like to talk to me

would your sperms like to talk to me

would your sperms like to talk to me

 

(12 February 2019)

小偷阿星

 

无业的阿星

在公园附近偷自行车时

被一名警察抓住带走

阿星想这下可完了

 

警察却把小偷带到家中

请他喝酒吃饭洗澡

然后此慈善教育英俊的阿星

还答应帮他找份工作

 

警察哥哥带来一只安全套

用口给小偷弟弟戴上

又在自己肛门上涂上油脂雪花膏

像观音坐莲似的坐在阿星身上

阿信感激万分热泪盈眶

 

此时四壁微微的颤动

一面镜子掉在地上

发出兴奋的呼叫 ––

如果全世界的警察和小偷

都这样! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! 

天下不是太平了吗!

 

(2000年7月30日)

Ah Xing the Petty Thief 

 

the jobless Ah Xing

stealing bicycles near a park

caught by a policeman 

I’m done for, thought Ah Xing 

 

the policeman brought Ah Xing home

wined, dined and showered him

mildly reprimanded the handsome Ah Xing

even offered to find him a job 

 

uncle policeman took out a condom 

mounted it with his mouth on top of Ah Xing 

lubed himself with some greasy cream

sat on Ah Xing like a praying Buddha 

hot, thankful tears ran out of Ah Xing’s eyes

 

the four walls shivered

a mirror crashed to the floor 

an exciting scream –

what if all the policemen and thieves

could be like this!!!!!!!!!!

what a safe world it would be! 

 

(30 July 2000)

About the translator: 

Hongwei Bao is a queer Chinese poet, fiction writer and academic based in Nottingham, UK. He is the author of Queer China: Lesbian and Gay Literature and Visual Culture under Postsocialism (Routledge, 2020) and co-editor of Queer Literature in the Sinosphere (Bloomsbury, 2024). His poetry collections include The Passion of the Rabbit God (Valley Press, 2024) and Dream of the Orchid Pavillion (Big White Shed, 2024).