In the wee hours of this morning, I noticed
A heavy snow falling as forecasted. With
The whole world feeling immaculate, I got up &
Stood in front of my window, just on this
Side of the glass, finding myself lost in the white way
All the ugly, dark, dirty, messy as well as hazards
Were covered equally, even the night itself had
Retreated from dreams, with noises muted, cold
Forgotten, all sound & fury compromised as
The entire universe buried deep in soft illusions
Or fantasies, as if we lived for a moment in
True peace and harmony, except a lonely crow
Pecking on the roadside, unaware of something
That can be sharp or dangerous, right below the landscape

Yuan Changming started to learn the English alphabet in Shanghai at age nineteen and published monographs on translation before leaving China. Currently, Yuan edits Poetry Pacific with Allen Yuan in Vancouver. Credits include eleven Pushcart nominations besides appearances in the Best of Best Canadian Poetry & BestNewPoemsOnline, among 1859 others across 47 countries. Recently, Yuan published his eleventh chapbook Limerence, and served on the jury for Canada’s 44th National Magazine Awards (poetry category).