Closing poem: Xià Kè, Class is over
The air is cold at the Well.
Together we lower our buckets down
Water rushes in and then
we alone must lift ours up.
Muscle, Bone, Determination.
We drink and
Legs shake, doubt rattles
Tears fall. We become
Emptier and emptier.
Our thirst grows.
Together we lower ourselves down
Water rushes in and then
We drink again. And then we alone must stay.
Blood, sweat, spirit.
Centuries pass
Sparrows sing. Dogs Bark. Roosters crow.
A drone flies overhead
Seeing
us being seen.
Many thanks to David Gaffney and Davidine Sim for organizing another deeply rewarding experience. And to my teammates for sharing the training floor and their hearts: Kathy, Richard, Viki, Yvonne, Robert, Ninja Dave as well as our training friends from China. To Chen Zi Jun for his assistance in class, to Chen Zi Qiang for going out of his way to make sure we were taken care of and to Grandmaster Chen Xiao Xing…for everything. Xie Xie! Chenjiagou Zai Jian!