Minghe to Peppa
II.There was a little fountain in the sunlight
that gave the freshest and most limpid water,
a pool of water looking like a crate
with its four smoothed stones wedged in upright.
The water flowed down through a narrow ditch
like a slowly unraveled woolen lace
nourishing the lovely plants of mint
and the small tufts of the most tender grass.
For us it was great fun early in the morning
to go and wade in it with our bare feet
and I still see you there as you stood near
and I can smell the fragrant mint on you
as you bent over, your nose shiny and wet,
to take a sip from a cupped cabbage leaf.
(Translated by Luigi Bonaffini)