The Poet Who Wrote Only Bad Poems
在他活着的时候，没有人觉得他是一位好诗人。
At he alive (CONT) (POSS) time, not have person feel he is one (M) good poet.
While he was alive, no one ever thought of him as a good poet.
他的名字叫李子安。
His name called Li Zi-An.
His name was Li Zi-An.
他认真，努力，热心，从早写到晚。
He earnest, work-hard, warm-heart, from morning write to evening.
He was earnest, hardworking, enthusiastic, and wrote from morning until night.
可是他的诗，怎么读都觉得别扭。
But his poem, how read all feel awkward.
But no matter how you read his poems, they felt clumsy.
句子长得奇怪，词用得不准，比喻常常让人发笑。
Sentence long (DEG) strange, word use (DEG) not accurate, metaphor often (DUP) let person laugh.
His sentences ran on, his words missed their mark, and his metaphors made people laugh.
城里有名的几位作家，曾经在报纸上认真地批评过他。
City inside famous (POSS) several (M) writer, once at newspaper on seriously (ADV) criticize (EXP) him.
A few well-known writers in town had once criticized him seriously in the papers.
他读了，笑一笑，第二天又寄出十首新的。
He read (PERF), smile one smile, second day again send-out ten (M) new (POSS).
He read what they wrote, smiled, and sent ten more poems out the next day.
他去世的时候，没有什么报纸提他。
He pass-away (POSS) time, not have anything newspaper mention him.
When he died, almost no paper mentioned him.
他留下了八本自己出版的诗集，放在他妹妹家的箱子里。
He leave-behind (PERF) eight (M) self publish (POSS) poetry collection, put at his younger-sister home (POSS) box inside.
He left behind eight self-published volumes, stored in his sister's house in a box.
四十年过去了。
Forty year pass-go (PERF).
Forty years went by.
一位年轻的研究文学的学者，叫陈雪，偶然发现了这个箱子。
One (M) young (POSS) research literature (POSS) scholar, called Chen Xue, by-chance discover (PERF) this (M) box.
A young literary scholar named Chen Xue found that box by chance.
她正在写一本关于小城市作家的书。
She right at write one (M) about small city writer (POSS) book.
She was writing a book about small-town writers.
她本来只是想看一看，没想到一坐下就看了一整夜。
She originally only is want look one look, not expect once sit-down then read (PERF) one whole night.
She only meant to glance at the poems, but she ended up reading them straight through the night.
诗确实是不好的。她忍不住一个人笑出声。
Poem certainly is not good (POSS). She bear-not-able alone person laugh-out voice.
The poems were genuinely bad. She laughed out loud, alone in the room.
可是当她把诗按时间顺序排起来读的时候，她的笑慢慢停了。
But when she (DISP) poem according-to time order arrange-up read (POSS) time, her smile slowly stop (PERF).
But when she lined the poems up by date and read them in order, her laughter slowly stopped.
第一首写于一九六二年春天，里面提到“南边的大桥会在夜里倒下来”。
First (M) written-at 1962 spring, inside mention "south side (POSS) big bridge will at night inside fall-down come".
The first poem, from spring 1962, said “the great bridge to the south will fall in the night.”
一九七零年，城南的大桥确实在夜里倒了。
1970 year, city south (POSS) big bridge indeed at night inside fall (PERF).
In 1970, the southern bridge did fall, at night.
她以为是巧合。她接着读。
She think is coincidence. She continue read.
She thought it was coincidence. She kept reading.
一九六五年的一首诗里，写着“冬天会有一辆红车撞进图书馆”。
1965 year (POSS) one (M) poem inside, written (CONT) "winter will have one (M) red vehicle crash-enter library".
In a poem from 1965, he wrote, “in winter a red car will crash into the library.”
一九七三年冬天，一辆红色出租车真的开进了城里的老图书馆。
1973 year winter, one (M) red color taxi truly drive-enter (PERF) city inside (POSS) old library.
In the winter of 1973, a red taxi did drive into the old city library.
陈雪把诗集合上，呆呆地看着桌子。
Chen Xue (DISP) poem-collection close on, blankly (ADV) look (CONT) table.
Chen Xue closed the book and stared at her desk.
她想：这不可能。
She think: This not possible.
She thought: this can't be.
她整理出十几首像这样的诗。每一首都对上了一件后来发生的事。
She organize-out ten several (M) like this (POSS) poem. Every one (M) all match-up (PERF) one (M) later happen (POSS) matter.
She found over a dozen such poems. Each one matched an event that happened years later.
有的是小事——一只白色的猫在七月的雨里走过广场。
Have (POSS) is small matter — one (M) white color (POSS) cat at July (POSS) rain inside walk-pass square.
Some were small — a white cat walking through the rain in July across the square.
有的是大事——南方一年长长的雨水，让河水流到了人们的院子里。
Have (POSS) is big matter — south one year long long (POSS) rain water, let river water flow-to (PERF) people (POSS) courtyard inside.
Some were great events — a long southern flood that sent the rivers into people's courtyards.
她去找李子安的妹妹。妹妹已经八十多岁了。
She go find Li Zi-An (POSS) younger-sister. Younger-sister already eighty more year (PERF).
She went to find Li Zi-An's sister, who was already over eighty.
老人请她喝茶，听她说完那些诗的事。
Old-person invite her drink tea, listen her say-finish those (POSS) poem (POSS) matter.
The old woman poured her tea and listened to the whole story.
老人想了想，说：“我哥从来不是会看未来的人。”
Old-person think (PERF) think, say: "My elder-brother from-not is able see future (POSS) person."
She thought for a while and said, “My brother could never see the future.”
“他只是喜欢写诗。他写得不好。我们都知道。”
"He only is like write poem. He write (DEG) not good. We all know."
“He just liked writing poems. He wrote them badly. We all knew.”
“你说这些诗都对上了后来的事，我没办法解释。”
"You say these (POSS) poem all match-up (PERF) later (POSS) matter, I not have method explain."
“If you say his poems matched things that came later, I have no way to explain it.”
“他自己也一定解释不出。”
"He self also certainly explain-not-out."
“He himself wouldn't have been able to explain either.”
陈雪回到家，坐在书桌前，想了很久。
Chen Xue return-to home, sit at book-desk front, think (PERF) very long.
Chen Xue went home, sat at her desk, and thought for a long time.
如果她说他是一位看得见未来的诗人，报纸会写她。
If she say he is one (M) able-see future (POSS) poet, newspaper will write her.
If she called him a poet who could see the future, the papers would write about her.
李子安会变成一个故事，一个传说，一个被人讨论的话题。
Li Zi-An will become one (M) story, one (M) legend, one (M) (PASS) person discuss (POSS) topic.
Li Zi-An would become a story, a legend, something for people to argue about.
可是她不想说他看得见未来。她也不能确定。
But she not want say he able-see future. She also not able sure.
But she didn't want to call him a prophet. She wasn't sure he was one.
她做了一个安静的决定。
She do (PERF) one (M) quiet (POSS) decision.
She made a quiet decision.
她把那八本诗集重新整理，加上每一首诗的写作日期。
She (DISP) those eight (M) poem collection again organize, add-on every one (M) poem (POSS) writing date.
She reorganized the eight volumes, adding the date each poem had been written.
她还加了几张地图，一些老报纸的照片。
She also add (PERF) several (M) map, some old newspaper (POSS) photograph.
She also added a few maps and photographs from old newspapers.
她没有写一句结论。
She not have write one sentence conclusion.
She didn't write a single line of conclusion.
她在书的开头只写了一句话：“请按写作的时间，一首一首地读。”
She at book (POSS) beginning only write (PERF) one (M) word: "Please according-to writing (POSS) time, one (M) one (M) (ADV) read."
At the book's opening she wrote only, “Please read these in the order they were written.”
书出版了。
Book publish (PERF).
The book was published.
评论的人分成两边。
Comment (POSS) person divide-into two side.
Reviewers split into two camps.
一些人说这是迷信，不应该出版。
Some person say this is superstition, not should publish.
Some said it was superstition and should never have been printed.
一些人说这是文学历史上一件最有意思的事。
Some person say this is literature history on one (M) most have interest (POSS) matter.
Others said it was one of the most fascinating things in literary history.
更多的人只是读，不下结论。
More more (POSS) person only is read, not give conclusion.
Most people simply read, and reached no conclusion.
书印了一次又一次，卖得很好。
Book print (PERF) one time again one time, sell (DEG) very good.
The book was reprinted again and again, and sold well.
李子安的名字第一次走出他的小城市，走到全国。
Li Zi-An (POSS) name first time walk-out his (POSS) small city, walk-to whole country.
For the first time Li Zi-An's name traveled out of his small city, all across the country.
陈雪有一次在书店看见一个年轻人，认真地读他的诗。
Chen Xue have one time at bookstore see one (M) young-person, seriously (ADV) read his (POSS) poem.
Once in a bookshop Chen Xue saw a young person reading his poems with great care.
年轻人对她身边的朋友说：“你看这一首——他写得真笨啊。”
Young-person to her side (POSS) friend say: "You look this one (M) — he write (DEG) really stupid (EXC)."
The young person said to a friend beside her, “Look at this one — he writes so clumsily.”
“可是你看日期——一九六八年。这件事是一九九零年才发生的。”
"But you look date — 1968 year. This (M) matter is 1990 year just happen (POSS)."
“But look at the date — 1968. The thing he describes didn't happen until 1990.”
两个人安静下来，又把诗读了一遍。
Two (M) person quiet down, again (DISP) poem read (PERF) one time.
The two of them grew quiet and read the poem again.
陈雪在店外面笑了一下，没有进去。
Chen Xue at shop outside smile (PERF) one bit, not have enter.
Chen Xue smiled outside the shop and didn't go in.
她想：李子安要是知道，他一定会非常满意。
She think: Li Zi-An if know, he certainly will very satisfied.
She thought: if Li Zi-An knew, he would have been deeply pleased.
他一辈子想做的，就是被人认真地读一遍。
He one-life want do (POSS), just is (PASS) person seriously (ADV) read one time.
All his life he had wanted just this — to be read with care, even once.
现在他被很多很多人认真地读着。
Now he (PASS) very many very many person seriously (ADV) read (CONT).
Now many, many people were reading him carefully.
他们读他写得有多笨。
They read he write (DEG) have how stupid.
They read how clumsy his writing was.
他们也读他怎么提前几十年看到了那个红车，那座大桥，那场雨。
They also read he how advance several ten year see-to (PERF) that (M) red vehicle, that (M) big bridge, that (M) rain.
And they read how, decades early, he had seen that red car, that bridge, that rain.
陈雪再也没解释过她的发现。
Chen Xue again also not have explain (EXP) her (POSS) discovery.
Chen Xue never explained her discovery again.
她只是每隔几年再印一次那些诗，加几张新的地图。
She only is every interval several year again print one time those (POSS) poem, add several (M) new (POSS) map.
Every few years she just reprinted the poems and added a few new maps.
读者们继续读，继续讨论，继续不下结论。
Reader (PL) continue read, continue discuss, continue not give conclusion.
Readers kept reading, kept arguing, and kept refusing to conclude anything.
李子安的笨诗，终于找到了它们的读者。
Li Zi-An (POSS) stupid poem, finally find-to (PERF) they (POSS) reader.
Li Zi-An's clumsy poems had finally found their readers.