THE SOUTHERN R E V I E W ----- ~ ---- ----- ~ ~

A nother Way with Wang Wei

No emptiness around here: across the street

a backhoe clanking, beeping, the next-door neighbor’s

seven dogs at it again, shrill yaps mingled

with baritone yowlings, 747s thundering overhead, and

you’re upstairs in your study, too far for me

to hear your voice, but later, tonight, you’ll come down

and speak in your gentle tenor, and all

other sounds will fade—as far as Wang Wei’s mountain.

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