Miles Away

In the Garden of the Master of the Nets in old Suzhou

surrounded by the weight of history

I'm contemplating as I should in a place of meditation

the meaning of my life, when my eyes begin to roam

across constructed landscapes designed to mimic nature

a concept that is alien to me

Feeling lost and lonely I find a little courage

to practice a few phrases like Nǐ hǎo and Xiè xie

with a group of local people who are strolling in the garden

They don't reciprocate my effort with a Hello or a Thank You

I guess it's not surprising that the smiles from the gents

and the glances from the ladies are the only answers I receive

It's just as hard for them to speak their words in English

as it is for me to speak mine in Chinese

Contemplation's tiring – conversation's nonexistent -

I head off to a recital of traditional opera music

a performance being held in the hall just past the pond

I approach the two musicians in the hope that they'll be friendly

and smile and say Nǐ hǎo as best I'm able

the players seem to understand so I extend the conversation

 with a few gesticulations, point my finger, wave my hand

After introductions are completed to our mutual satisfaction

they perform a brief recital of their Suzhou opera music

a wonderful performance that I'm privileged to see

When I thank them for their music

they respond in precise English

that they say was taught to them by a foreign language teacher

a conversation teacher from Australia just like me.

I return to contemplation in the famous Suzhou garden

thinking of the things that I have seen

Though the memory of this garden and the music of the opera

 

is a treasure I can take back home with me

the sight of manmade landscapes or the sound of opera music 

can't replace the sight of ghost gums

standing silent in the moonlight

 

or the music that the rain plays

for the solo that the wind sings for the ballet of the leaves.