This year, the trees are wearing crossed-stakes
and ice and snow have re-designed them.
The winter trees are over-dressed with icy white crosses,
like huge brown cross-stitches in a snowy tapestry.
The trees are sewn deliberately into the white image,
so they cannot fly away in the winter storms;
pinned through their winter chests like still black insects.
Looking down, the silent moon dresses in round white pity
and Harbin whiteness is a burden worn by everyone.
By Helen Pletts
27th January 2025
The Starry Night, painted in 1889, by Vincent Van Gogh
Oil on Canvas, Museum of Modern Art, New York
73.7cm x 92.1cm
Vincent Willem van Gogh, 30 March 1853 – 29 July 1890) was a Dutch Post-Impressionist painter who is among the most famous and influential figures in the history of Western art. In just over a decade, he created approximately 2,100 artworks, including around 860 oil paintings, most of them in the last two years of his life. His oeuvre includes landscapes, still lifes, portraits, and self-portraits, most of which are characterised by bold colours and dramatic brushwork that contributed to the rise of expressionism in modern art.
Translated by Ma Yongbo ⻢永波
今年 This year ⻢永波 译
今年，树⽊披上了交叉的⽀架
冰与雪已经把它们重新设计。
冬天的树⽊披着繁复的冰⽩⾊⼗字架，
像雪毯上巨⼤的棕⾊⼗字绣。
树⽊被谨慎地缝进了⽩⾊图案，
这样它们就不会在暴⻛雪中⻜⾛，
钉在它们冬天的胸膛上，像静⽌的⿊⾊昆⾍。
向下看去，沉默的⽉亮披着圆圆的⽩⾊仁慈
⽽哈尔滨的⽩是每个⼈都要背负的负担。
2025年1⽉27⽇
This Year 今年 to Helen Pletts
This year, the universe is draped in a veil of frost,
fluttering slightly, revealing the cruel lines at its mouth corners.
The wind redesigns the patterns of the stars,
The night sky is covered with intricate silver thread.
This black tapestry is bordered with cold,
a row of silver buttons of the Heavens are sewn onto the universe’s chest,
like a flock of birds frozen in flight,
unable to escape, sinking deeper into the swirling vortex;
looking up, the sun wears a soft golden sadness,
and the white silence becomes the earth’s heavy burden.
By Ma Yongbo
Translated By Ma Yongbo 27th January 2025
今年 This year ⻢永波
今年，宇宙披上了⼀层霜冻的⾯纱,
微微吹拂，显露出嘴⻆冷酷的线条.
⻛重新设计着星星的图案，
夜空被繁复的银⾊针线覆盖。
这⿊⾊的织锦以寒冷为花边，
⼀排天堂的银纽扣被缝在宇宙的胸前，
像在⻜⾏中冻住的⻦群，
⽆法逃脱，陷⼊越来越深的漩涡；
抬头望去，太阳披上柔和的⾦⾊悲伤，
⽽⽩⾊的寂静，成了地球的重负。
2025年1⽉27⽇
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