Insomnia

by Yu Yan
     trs. by Chen Xiaoyuan

the night was an enormous train, heading
hauling from the abyss of sleep
ribs were railroad ties stretching
from my body into the endless dark
serried wheels ran me over
I heard my bones cracking

this gigantic insect
crawls over the wildness of my abdomen
travels through the lush woods
veers round soaring peaks
pausing at the station of sturdy knees

at last, it rides out of my body
passing through bedrooms and the study
out through the living room French window

April 28, 2015