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Lucia Liang

Lucia Liang

Xuhua Lucia Liang, (pen name: Cao Yu) was born in a beautiful island in southern China-- Amoy,  Fujian Province. She received her BS in Spanish language from Beijing Foreign Studies University. In 1986 She went to study at SUNY at Stony Brook where she received her Ph.D. in Latin American Literature. In the U.S. while dedicating to the teaching and research of Spanish language and literature, she wrote poems in Chinese, Spanish and English. In her poetry she develops her unique style which ethos the voices of Chinese, Hispanic and American cultures. In 2019 she published her poetry anthology “A Lily on the Cliff” (Chinese) and her works have been published in different newspapers, magazines and web sites. She is also a co-author of “Orientación a la lengua española” (Spanish-Chinese, to be published in China, 2022).

My name is Lucia Liang and my Chinese name is 梁旭華。36 years ago, in 1986,I left  China and came to the US.  That was also a year of tiger. Before my departure, my grandma gave me a small  packet of rice, a small bottle of water, so I could cook with them my first meal in the US, so I would not reject the water and food of the new land. 36 years have  passed,  it is tiger year again. Today  I am standing here celebrating lunar new year, full of gratitude and nostalgia.


Suitcase, Tiger

That old canvas suitcase,
half open,
as a hungry baby tiger
waiting for food, for dream,
for the waves, Pacific....Atlantic
the blue air waving to the East.
 
1986
 
A capsule of Amoy’s soils
a red packet of rice, grandma’s kitchen,
a handkerchief soaked with
her tears, the parting, the unbearable pain.
 
“Pour the water and rice into your first bowl in America ”.
Let Yangtze River kiss Potomac,
let Island’s palm seed dig into the field,
awaiting for the first girl’s cry!
 
36 years,
 
From icy loneliness
I woke up everyday
to mockingbird’s songs,
to the symphony of “Good morning”, ‘ Bonjour”, “Buenos días”,
to a land that extends its warm arms,
embracing me, an adventurer, a journeyer, a dreamer.
 
At the hill of Sugarloaf,
azaleas bloomed fiercely
as that fearless ocean bay
washes day after day the long nights ink,
witnessing the harvest of love, of hope,
of the joy of climbing and falling.
 
The tiger suitcase,
fully packed,
firecrackers,
sleigh’s silver bells,
endless joy
endless hope!
 
© Lucia Liang

虎年的大皮箱

—梁旭華

那只磨損萬分的大皮箱,
張着合不攏的嘴巴,
有如一隻嗷嗷待哺的小虎崽,
盼着食物、盼着酣睡,
盼着一波波的海涛,
太平洋...大西洋,
那向東摇曳、藍色的風。
1986
盛着一撮海島故土的小玻璃瓶,
小紅袋袋外婆米缸裡的糙米,
還有那方浸滿淚水、
镶满別離痛楚的
小手絹。
 
“把水和米倒進第一鍋異鄉的飯”,
讓扬子江湧入波多馬運河,
讓小島的棕櫚扎進你家的後院,
靜待小女兒一聲聲
啼哭。
 
三十六年
 
天天,從黑夜刺骨的寒風中,
在知更鳥啼唱的晨曦里,
我,孤獨的冒險家、懷夢的流浪兒
迎着“Good morning, Bonjour, Buenos días ”
缓缓醒來,撲進這片
張開雙臂的大地,
融入它溫暖的懷抱。
 
在高聳的Sugarloaf 脚下,
杜鵑花放肆地綻放,
有如那無知無畏的海潮,
日復一日洗刷着長夜的黑暗,
與我收獲友誼、
收穫希望,
還有那登高、跌落的悲與悅。
 
虎年的大皮箱,
盛滿了爆竹的炸響,
雪橇銀鈴的叮噹,
還有那
無盡的喜悅,
無邊的希望!

© Lucia Liang

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Comments

Janice F Booth (not verified)

Fri, 11/17/2023 - 5:53pm

Such a heart-wrenching, heartwarming poem, Lucia. My heart is soothed in these dark, disappointing days in our country by the warmth and sincerity of your love for your adopted homeland. Such a brave, strong poem from a brave, wise woman.

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Janice F. Booth

Thu, 01/09/2025 - 3:18pm

"Suitcase, Tiger" in each of its iterations reflects your courage and close ties to the past and the present, Lucia. Your poem both saddens and comforts. 

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Lucia Liang (not verified)

Fri, 05/16/2025 - 8:13pm

Dear Janice,

My life must have been crazy. I didn't see your comments until today! So sorry I didn't reply earlier. I love this country, this land, despite some dark and sad moments we have had.  People like you and Grace and many poetry friends made this country my spiritual homeland. I love all my friends and the poetry

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