A Visit

This poem is an English translation selected from the first section, "A Visit" (巡礼), of the Chinese poetry journal Workers' Poetry Selection (《打工诗选刊》).

Hometown on the ID Card

Away for years as a migrant worker,
I carry in my pocket every day
my own tombstone,
the year of death unknown—
proof I can still return alive.
Aging amid the roar of machines,
youthful in dreams of homecoming.

Dreams of homecoming
plastered with job ads,
dreams of homecoming
plastered with missing person notices.

Following the address on my ID card,
retracing my steps home,
I find the old house leveled to the ground,
a brand-new empty nest awaiting me in the "New Rural."

No matter how beautiful the New Rural,
it can never replace my hometown,
even if my hometown
has already become ruins.

About the Author: Xu Fei, pen name Xu Xufei, male, born in the 1970s in Wuhe, Anhui. Currently works as a migrant laborer in Hangzhou, Zhejiang. Member of the Tongxiang Writers Association, Tongxiang Fenghuang Lake Poetry Society, and Hangzhou Qiantang District Writers Association. His poems and essays have been published in numerous publications including Star Poetry Journal, Poetry Selection Journal, Poetry Jiangnan, Prose Poetry, Works, Workers' Daily, Southern Workers' News, Zhejiang Workers' Daily, Anhui Daily, Friendship News, Bengbu Daily, Jiaxing Daily, Bao'an Daily - Migrant Literature Weekly, and Qiantang New Area News. His works have been included in various anthologies. Published poetry collections: On the Edge of the City and Love Songs of Juxiang. Forthcoming collection: Notes from Another City.

《身份证上的故乡》

出门打工多年

我的怀里

每天都揣着

自己的墓碑

卒年不详

证明我还能活着回去

在机器轰鸣中衰老

在还乡的梦里年轻

还乡的梦

贴满了招工广告

还乡的梦

贴满了寻人启事

沿着身份证上的遗址

原路返回

老家被夷为平地

新农村里有我崭新的空巢

新农村再美

代替不了故乡

虽然故乡

已沦为废墟

作者简介：徐飞，笔名徐徐飞，男，70后，安徽五河人，现在浙江杭州打工，桐乡市作家协会会员，桐乡市凤凰湖诗社成员，杭州市钱塘区作家协会会员，在《星星诗刊》《诗选刊》《诗江南》《散文诗》《作品》《工人日报》《南方工报》《浙江工人日报》《安徽日报》《联谊报》《蚌埠日报》《嘉兴日报》《宝安日报.打工文学周刊》《钱塘新区报》等报刊发表诗文若干，作品入选多种选集，著有诗集《城市边缘》《菊乡恋歌》，诗集《他城手记》（待出）。