Readings - Hope, 2023
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Poetry Reading Collaborated with Maud Lavin
Writing by Maud Lavin & Mallory Yanhan Qiu
Moving Images by Mallory Yanhan Qiu
By Mallory Yanhan Qiu
Poetries for Love
Please imagine that we were on a moving train.
It happened to be when the spring was experiencing sunset,
the sun was bright and about to fade.
You were closing your eyes, facing the sunlight outside the window.
The train flew through the green shadows.
Creating a dark and blood red anthill in your eyelids.
Flashing, crawling
In the center of the darkness, the center of the coldness,
It was the starting point of fire seeds.
Burning, boundaries were destroyed.
Exploding like a star when it reached toward death.
No regrets excited this time.
Our souls floated in the sky, our feet stepped on the ground, walked together.
I stepped on your flesh and bones last night.
You said you hoped I would walk on your back .
I closed my eyes,
I was on the soil that was kissed by melting snow.
I ran in the mountains,
Until could’t breath.
Wet soil between my toes,
Sweat crossing my chest to my navel.
I wanted to run towards you,
To tell you I’ve been waiting for this day for a long time.
It’s been so long that I started to wonder if there was still love as pure and strong as fire in this world.
The flames tempered the pain, loss, and anger of our past
Black smoke billowed,
I closed my eyes,
I walked forward in a daze until I bumped into your chest.
Burning up together with short breaths.
After 6 times waking up,
Skin touch ceased everything.
I tried to turn my body to the window full of wind.
But the ghost lay down between us,
On your chest,
They cannot tear us apart.
We are here as fire birds.
By Maud Lavin
Ladybug, a Love Poem with Sliced Fruit, Cocoa Powder, and Much Gratitude
I could write about your ass, made for me, spherical
I could write about your smooth skin, your scent,
your voice, your accent with twang,
your laugh, comes easy and sharp.
It’s more than that, you know.
I can exist with you, relaxed.
I’m eating a late-night snack, and
you tell me I’m beautiful.
I stay up into the wee hours and
sleep late whenever I can, and
you say I work hard.
I put cocoa powder on my sliced fruit,
getting it everywhere, and
you say do we need to order more.
I stick rhinestones above my brow
with eyelash glue, and
you say you like how the light shines.
Thank you, darlin’, with you,
I feel like a ladybug, bringing good luck
just by being here.
By Mallory Yanhan Qiu
Poetries for Nature
Drive east,
from summer to autumn
Anything can happen in the fog
White lightning flashes across the sky,
and an earthquake occurs in the clouds
Look up, he holds the steering wheel and says look up at
Venus and the moon revolve around us
Everything is falling, left and right
The forever unknown freedom
falls unreservedly
A fall that signifies destruction and death,
signifies abandonment and love,
signifies surrender and passion,
signifies decline and disaster
It's all about liberation
Can endure or enjoy
Can be hugged or pained
Or simply accept that this is where it all begins
The souls are in a peaceful place,
Light and shadow become one
The amusement park on the cyan hill shines empty at night,
It's all teetering, it's just a dream in the peony garden
A giant arises from the bushes and turns to dust under the moon shines
Heavy fog hangs over the lake and rushes towards the sunrise over the wild grass, and
wraps around our eyes
The wind comes, the wind goes
I say,
please take away my name
please bring unquenchable sparks
By Maud Lavin
Fireflies, Ohio
Zigzagging south through farm hills toward Wooster
Old barns. Streams. Sparse woods. Crossroad towns. Many churches.
I’m not Christian so those are not for me. The hills are mine, too, though.
My childhood. Deep summer greens set in.
It is so pretty, like a secret.
The sun is easing down. The latest detour angles us west.
We make a drama of this, loving the hills, holding out on dinner til Wooster,
hanging on to each green turn and each barn. We top a hill.
The valley opens. The skylight dims. The fields are lush with fireflies.
Field after field. The fields keep opening and they are full of multitudes.
We slow. This is wonder. The valley is generous and stretching,
more beautiful than the Grand Canyon under moonlight.
Swimming in layers and reaches of fireflies.
Dayenu.