Tianchi Lake

Children by the water banks

Laughing long and loud

Changbai's high, fine western peaks

Just beneath the clouds

Currents in the water

Churning in their course

Body of a sea lion

Head just like a horse

Preacher in the soft, brown sand

Begins to speak his peace

High wings in the treetops

Low flying winter geese

No one taking pictures

Everybody still

And then the water sought its course again

The way that waters will

No one at the lakeside now

Moon up in the sky

Night birds in the dragon spruce

Moaning long and high

Backstroking on the surface

Moonlight on its face

Floats the Tianchi monster

Staring into space

Out around the temple now

Narcissus in bloom

Sensors packed with sandalwood

Send smoke into the room

Children in the sand outside

On their hands and knees

Sketching pictures all day long

Of stranger things than these