Father's Response

-- translation of 開心豆豆 【憶父親】( (十五) 父親的回應

Am I still in the dream, my dear Father?
You are calling my nick name, and my arms are extending the welcome
until your silhouette disappears again upon wakeup

Let me sing a song so that the moon is not cold
Let me send a letter to express missing you so much like fireflies

On the screen of night, there comes up a star
with the same shimmering tears
He is struggling to break through the cloud
He must be you
My father in heaven

You must have been listening to
my prayer, my song
Lotus root has broken, the threads still connected
Lotus leaves has withered, the hardship felt

The star is gently glistening:
My daughter on the ground
I am listening
reading your poems thousand times over
Your songs are still cheering me up
Although I could not get back
my heart was left with you
just as in those good old days
watched you dressing in the morning sun rays
watched your late return in the setting sun
and traveling in the storm
I know you will live up to my expectations
I have not forgotten my promise to you
I am always there waiting for your coming back from the distance
under the sycamore trees in the front yard
under the moon by the lotus pond
looking after sleeping water lilies
sing the song 'the wind is shaking the sail...'
Cover you with the panda blanket
with the tenderness of the moonlight
Either the stary night of yesterday or that of tonight
is me accompanying you
to the ever-lasting life