Liu Xia is the widow of Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo. This poem was part of her collection, Empty Chairs, published in a bilingual edition by Graywolf Press.
June 2nd, 1989
— for Xiaobo
This isn’t good weather
I said to myself
standing under the lush sun.
Standing behind you
I patted your head
and your hair pricked my palm
making it strange to me.
I didn’t have a chance
to say a word before you became a character
in the news, everyone looking up to you
as I was worn down
at the edge of the crowd
just smoking
and watching the sky.
A new myth, maybe, was forming there.
but the sun’s sharp light
blinded me from seeing it.
Kanlaon 