This is a poem I made for interviews (copywriter in particular) when I was hunting for a job in early 2018, Shanghai. Almost a year ago…

懷揣著一個作家的夢

Carrying a dream to be a writer

身披著一件文字的嫁衣

Wearing a wedding gown of words

腳跨太陽和月亮

Striding over the sun and the moon

一隻手遮著天

One hand shielding the sky

另一隻手蓋著地

The other covering the land

 

我狠狠地甩開了背上的包袱

Vigorously I shake off the burden from my back

并將雜念火葬

And burn the distracting thoughts

我狠狠地把黑夜捏出了皺紋

Vigorously I squeeze the night into wrinkles

并將恐懼踢打成漣漪

And kick the fear into ripples

我狠狠地撲向上海的懷抱

Vigorously I swoop into the embrace of Shanghai

并慢慢捕捉這座城市的光

And slowly capture the light of this city

我狠狠地改變了一下自己

Vigorously I make a small change in myself

并把執著彈成宇宙的永恆

And ring persistence into the eternity of the universe

 

我是蔡太蓮

I am Heather Cai

 

教書不是我的選擇

Teaching was not my choice

做外貿也不是我的選擇

Trading sales was not my choice

但只要跟創意有搭邊的就一定是我夢寐以求的菜

But-

Everything creative is my dream dish

 

我要當一個朝聖者

I long to be a pilgrim

將這個飯碗神化

And make this bowl a legend