by Shenzhan/申展

A summary of fragmented thoughts, Proof of Living Moments (PLM) intends to have an account of what comes to my mind when I am reading on the subway, walking in the street or listening to a podcast. Thoughts often appear, then disappear into the ocean of unconsciousness, as if they have never existed.

As if that living moment has never existed.

I hope these notes are at least a proof of those living moments.

I found myself having the first moment of settling down in the year of 2020 while I was reading a poem by Wendell Berry (1934 — ) . I can’t help but copy it down and translate it into Chinese here:

***

How to be a poet 怎么做一个诗人

(to remind myself) （提醒自己）

By Wendell Berry 作者：Wendell Berry

Make a place to sit down. 创造一个地方坐下。

Sit down. Be quiet. 坐下。安静。

You must depend upon 你得依靠

affection, reading, knowledge, 情感，阅读，知识

skill -- more of each 技巧——每样都得

than you have--inspiration, 比你有的更多——启发，

work, growing older, patience, 工作，慢慢变老，耐心，

for patience joins time 耐心融入时光

to eternity. Any readers 与永恒。所有读者

who like your poems, 喜爱你的诗，

doubt their judgement. 怀疑自己的判断。

Breathe with unconditional breath 无条件的呼吸，呼吸

the unconditioned air. 没有被调节的空气。

Shun electric wire. 躲避电缆。

Communicate slowly. Live 慢慢交流。过

a three-dimensioned life; 一种三维的生活；

stay away from screens. 远离屏幕。

Stay away from anything 远离任何东西

that obscures the place it is in. 如果它打搅了自己所在。

There are no unsacred places; 没有不神圣的地方；

there are only scared places 只有神圣的地方

and desecrated places. 和被亵渎的地方。

Accept what comes from silence. 接受来自沉默的一切。

Make the best you can of it. 尽你所能运用沉默。

Of the little words that come 那些微不足道的字眼

out of the silence, like prayers 出自沉默，就像祈祷

prayed back to the one who prays, 返回给祈祷者，

make a poem that does not disturb 做成一首诗，不打搅

the silence from which it came. 那与之俱来的沉默。

***

Then I heard birds chirping outside of my window at the very moment when I was so moved by Berry’s poem. Naturally, I wrote the following:

Blue jays,  冠蓝鸦，

beautiful birds, 美丽的鸟儿，

came to my balcony, 来到我的阳台，

for water 从一个很早以前被遗忘在此的篮子，

in a basket forgotten there 喝水。

long time ago.

(by Shenzhan Liao)

It truly feels like a best living moment. like I am riding a wave, at its peak. Now I have a proof.

January 5, 2020

Astoria, New York