Wax Mag #3 –

"Church Bells" by Chen Ruizhe

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Published January 15th, 2024

Poetry Contest #18 – First Place

Church Bells

by Chen Ruizhe

Two days ago, I was writing in the building
The birds of the garden mansion of the ancient pond
talk to each other on the willows
The penholder rang pleasantly as the ink lingered
The morning light of each other shines on the ink before it dries
Downstairs, Lingxiao flowers pillow the eaves wall
There is a clear bell shyly led by the wind
She's quiet – She's more ethereal than an old clock
But that's the sound
It's hard to stop writing
Eager to find her voice and shadow behind the wind
It's a church bell
From the gorgeous and plain castle
on the sloping top of a deep valley
If I tilt my head down, I can easily see the carved archway
There are also two doors that are different from the wine-dark doors
of the ancient temple, not far away
The dusty castle
Both sides of the hall are crowned with inverted eaves
Pigeons often fall, sometimes magpies
A bell can travel a thousand miles without disturbing a bird
Maybe she did the chanting
that evokes the heart, that evokes other creatures


About the Poet
Chen Ruizhe resides in Yuncheng City, Shanxi Province, China.
Read the poet's biography on Chen Ruizhe's Artist Page.

Next in Wax Mag #3:
Functional Seizures and Other Poems
by Beth Greenwood

Back to Wax Mag #3

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