Poetry

Four Kinds of Emptiness

by Chengru He

of which one is full, awaiting
a virgin blossom

to unbalance the abundance.
the room is quiet, as if we are

part of the plan,
planted, pressed, bound, blessed.

the empty receives attention.
a leaf flutters, please, 

more light. in the shade
of fear, Queen Anne’s Lace speaks,

in time the roots will grow.
the empty is accurately placed,

carefully touched
by its shadow.

we happen to agree
on going back to the first day

of imagination, where each leaf
is light, and empty is full.

Appeared in Issue Fall '19