INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
Lana Bella
Hongri Yuan
Lyn Lifshin
Duane Locke
Elisavietta Ritchie
Michelle Bailat-Jones
Fahredin Shehu
Laszlo Slomovits
Andy N
Alex Ferde
Lekan Alesh
Michael Lee Johnson
Running Cub
Ali Znaidi
Silvia Scheibli
Robert Nisbet
Richard Gartee
Amit Parmessur
Jennifer Burd
Paul B. Roth
Sanjeev Sethi
Keith Moul
Arjun Dahal
Alan Britt
Richard Lynch
Fred Wolven
Eddie Awusi
Joanie Freeman
Hongri Yuan
Amit Shankar Saha
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Francis Ferde
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A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO
PLATINUM CITY
An Editor’s Notation, Following Conversation with a
Translator…
This is a brief reader’s introduction to
Chinese poet-philosopher Hongri Yuan’s Platinum City poem
which is his vision experienced while meditating in 1991 and then written in
1998. It is his view of a civilization from the ancient past, its
connection with prior human life and the projection that with more awareness
humans could become a more universal future civilization and people.
From his consideration of ancient times wherein humans were giant-like
beings more idealized and god-like idealized beings, he suggests that this
view offers us a glimpse of what mankind may become with the real
elimination of boundaries of nation, race and religion, for instance.
Yuan believes that concepts of good vs. evil and beauty vs. ugliness
will dissipate and humans can achieve a more universal civilization and
homeland in the universe. Further, Yuan notes that prior times don’t
disappear but remain locked within Space, and discovery of more such
civilizations can only provide humans with better keys to our advance-ment
in the future.
PLATINUM CITY
Ah! Of iridescent gems of time
The heavenly road you paved light.
In the kingdom of stars,
I found my home.
In that city of gold,
I opened the gate to the Sun,
To behold the godly giants.
At the Royal Palace of the Jewel
Of the prehistoric wonders I read
In an enormous, gorgeous ancient book.
By my eyes I saw
The golden words that Juan carved
A wondrous strange mystery tale;
Into a full new world I went,
To witness the seat of the holy Kingdom:
Even before the Earth was born;
The erstwhile home of human history.
Across Time and Space in crystalline glitter
Stands this moment a platinum city –
A ship drifting leisurely,
Like a bird, resplendent in variegated hues.
In the crystal garden I saw
A crowd of youthful giants,
Their eyes were bright and glittering
In the aura of the body’s sparkle.
They sang happy songs
They danced a wonderful dance
Lanky boys and girls in pairs
As if to celebrate the splendid carnival.
I saw a circular edifice
High above the city.
Giving out a white light.
Raised ground to fly into the quiet space.
A frame of platinum edifice
Creating a beautiful pattern.
The whole city is a circle
Arranged into a fine structure.
Into a bright hall I went.
A strange instrument there I saw.
A huge screen hanging on the wall
Displaying a golden space.
Like bits of colourful crystal gemstones!
Resplendent with variegated colours of the city!
Those beautiful high-rise buildings
A sight better than the myth of the world.
A line I saw of strange letters.
On one side of the screen flashed swiftly
Numerous young and strong giants
An effort to concentrate on the changing images.
Their look is quiet and peaceful.
The learned flame flashes in their eyes.
In a flash of clothes
The next is a whole.
Their stature, unusually tall.
Each one is well-nigh seven meters high.
Men and women look dignified
No age difference apparent either.
Their skin is white as snow
With a faint flashy shine
Bright eyes as naïve as an infant’s
Kindled with a strange flame.
They manipulate the magic of the instrument.
A picture of the changing space.
Their language is artless and plane.
As the bell is generally pleasant.
As I survey the length and breadth of the bright hall
A powerful energy I feel
Body and mind, suffused with bliss and delight.
And it seems to be a giant.
I seem to understand their language.
They are exploring the mysteries of the universe.
That in the city there is a planet
Peopled with their various partners.
Their mind they use to manipulate the instrument
Also can to transfer data be used
Even thousands of miles apart
Also to talk free to the heart.
A line of text on the screen
Is but a message from afar.
The whole universe is their home.
They build cities in space.
The space shuttle they use
To take you to the other space.
Into a lightning, a moment, and you
Vanish into thin air, without a trace.
I feel a new civilization.
They have magical eyes.
They seem to be able to see the future
And can enter diverse time and space.
Men and women are hallowed and loving
Superior to our world's so-called love
They don't seem to understand ageing
Neither do they know about war.
Time seems not to exist
Science is just a wonderful art
Their happiness comes from the creation of
A universe full of divine love.
I saw a young giant
Opening the door of a platinum –
A round, magnificent hall
Packed with rows of men and women.
I saw a crystal stage.
Gyrating at the center of the hall.
A dignified and beautiful girl
Was playing a huge musical instrument.
A bunch of golden rays,
Shifting all kinds of brilliant graphics
A mysterious and beautiful music
Like the Dragon leisurely crowing.
Thence I saw an enormous giant
Jump out of the dance onto the stage.
His hands held a huge ball
Shining with colourful shades from the ball.
I saw a group of young girls
Wearing a white dress
They seemed to fly lightly
Like a giant crane.
The huge circular hall was resplendent
With clear, transparent decoration.
Like a gem of a full set.
Shining bright in light.
I saw a young singer
About the golden flame
The sound was strange and striking
As if the singing was a chanting.
Their music is at once mysterious and blissful
That shift randomly like the lightning
As if it’s a planet of the universe
Shining bright and light in space.
The crystal city, aloft in space
Looks resplendent, magnificent
Countless wonderful golden flowers
Bloom and blush in that flawless space.
A picture of a transparent smiling face I saw
As if it were a colourful garden
The golden light from the sky
Turned it into a city of gold.
I strode out of the circular hall
Came to a wide street with a smooth
Pavement covered with precious stones
And in line with the platinum edifice.
Terrestrial trees none I find here.
But they are in full bloom.
Sparkling with rich incense,
Shaping a garden at the center of the street.
Some strange flowers were there.
The branches as transparent crystal
Flashing all kinds of brilliant colours;
A bunch of round golden fruit too.
I saw a huge statue.
It was like a spaceship.
Clustered around by shining stars,
Aloft at the centre of the street.
I saw a column of dazzling fountain
In a huge circle in the square;
An elegantly modeled statue
Was there portraying a holy giant.
A soaring magnificent edifice
Ran round the circle square.
There were some garden villas
There was a white steeple.
I saw a wide river
Girdling this huge city
The bottom flash reflected transparent Jinsha
There were sundry colourful gems as well.
The planning of tall trees on shore.
And a long crystal corridor
A big multi-coloured bird
Three five one group on the surface of the water.
I saw a vast forest
The swaying tree, a tree of gold
The trees with towering spires
And as some platinum Pavilion.
I saw some giants along the walk,
Some male and female bodybuilders.
At the water's brink or in the forest
Like birds carefree and relaxed.
An ideal space as bright as crystal
Embraced this platinum City;
A giant, white and bright ball
Flashed boundless light into the air.
It resembled a huge sun
And like a man-made planet
The whole city was shining too
To weave a rare breed of magic.
A strange speeding train circled
About the city back and forth;
There seemed to be a kind of track in the sky
Like a shiny silver curve.
They seated body white buildings
It was a dreamlike maze
Huge urban anomaly;
Could not even hear the sound of the wind.
I bade goodbye to the platinum city.
Near a golden space
Stands another city here
A huge city of gold.
The building here is also huge.
But it's another beautiful shape.
The whole city is glittering
Golden edifice as beautiful as sculpture.
Here there are some other giants.
As if from another nation
They have boundless wisdom.
Like a golden, holy civilization.
3.3. 1998
Hongri Yuan, Jining City, Shandong Province, China
Translator (from Chinese): Manu Mangattu, Aruvithura, India