Dance, the Orange

2001 Spring
Yali Li

Eyes gathering at the tip of your nose,
Nose looking at your heart,
Heart looking behind the navel,
There is a ripe fruit.
Exhaling along the path of looking,
You lift dust on your fruit.
What is your fruit?

My fruit is an orange
Exhale, exhale,
One layer of dust, another layer of dust….
The orange is shining.
Exhale and inhale,
The peel opens and the segments are stretching.
Exhale and inhale,
An orange lotus is blossoming.
Exhale and inhale,
In the embrace of the blossoming lotus,
The whole world is peacefully resting.

Star Planter

2003 Summer

Yali Li

The first night in the new apartment,
My 22 year old son,
Ran out of his room,
Barefoot,
Like a 12 year old,
Mama, Mama,
My room is a UNIVERSE!

The first morning in my new apartment,
My 63 year old friend,
Walked into my kitchen,
Tiptoed,
Like a 13 year old,
Grace, Grace,
Your son's room is a UNIVERSE!

Stars, stars all over the ceiling,
Who was your creator?
She planted the stars,
We all live with dreams!

Spring Glory

2006 Spring

Yali Li

Hilarious, Mr. Pine,
You welcome the spring
With such a splendid purple cloak!

Thank you, Lady Robin,
It is my neighbor's smiling dimples.
She has a weak spine,
I invite her to lean on me.

Beautiful, Mr. Pine,
You support Ms Purple Vine with a backbone,
She returns you a spring glory!

An Oriental Woman’s Sojourn Environment

2007 Fall

Yali Li

Good chilly morning, young man!
What are you waiting for?
I am waiting for a lady.
She walks along this street everyday,
We take her as a part of the local scenery.
I am used to her sweet “Good Morning”,
To start my day!

Good morning, hardworking man!
Are you here for your break?
No, I am worried about her.
Normally she is in the office at this hour,
We greet as my cleaning cart moves here.
I like to hear “Good Job!”
To enjoy kind words from another culture.

Good afternoon, pool supervisor!
Why do you keep watching the door?
Well, I am wondering why she is late.
She is here everyday at this moment,
Dancing in the water like a trout.
People expect her to join the game,
To compete who is the first!

Good late evening, cute doggies!
Why are you standing still in the dark?
We are waiting for our neighbor.
She is back home everyday in the dusk,
Her safety is our task.
We are waiting here,
To give her a welcome home bark!

Great! Great! All of you!
I am the singing bird named Jill.
I accompany her everyday before the dawn.
Her first thing of the day is to see the sun,
Who has spent a whole day with her son.
Now I want to pass her a message,
To take this city as her second hometown!

Wing Man

2007 Fall
Yali Li

I saw your wings,
Before I knew you
They were vigorously vibrating in the dawn,
Eager to fly.

Suddenly, you seemed strikingly touched,
By the gigantic V shape,
Flapping in the dim light.
You indulged in the splendid shining feather,
No knowing the sun cancelled his trip,
Wings got wet in the dark and cold.

Wing man! Wing man!
You were born to fly!
Let us start a bonfire,
The V should stretch high up in the sky!

Pearls

January 18, 2008
Yali Li

Pearls grow inside oysters.
Pearls are pearls
With majestic elegance, charm, purity, and calmness.

Pearls grow inside oysters.
Pearls are not pearls
But oysters’ grades from pain and trauma tests.

Pearls grow inside oysters.
Pearls are not pearls
But attitude, confidence, courage, and competence.

Pearls grow inside oysters.
Pearls are pearls
With majestic elegance, charm, purity, and calmness.

Meaning of Survival

January 18, 2008
Yali Li

A mentor asked:
All passengers died but one survived from an air crash.
What does it mean?

His student responded:
That person was specially blessed,
Because of her virtual deeds.

The mentor commented:
Death is only a path to one’s destination,
Beyond our discretion.

The student reflected:
That person was sent back
For an unfinished mission in this world.

The mentor smiled:
What does else she need to know,
Before resuming her task?

His student ascertained:
It also confirmed the importance of her mission,
For her to become more confident, effective and efficient.

串珠 ——一个真实的童话

1月18日， 李亚利

打开待完成项目的袋子
朋友穿的手镯躺在我面前

珠子是廉价的
朋友精心排列它们时的爱心
使它们曾经呈现出
无价的炫目而美丽

我每天将袖子卷得高高的
为人们眼里添一点惊羡
平淡的环境暖暖地多了
一个小女孩幢憬

有一天
珠子突然自由飞奔起来
眼花缭乱的弧线射向西面八方
理想的组合压垮了微弱的单线承担

双重的钓鱼线
信心满满地激活不灭的向心力
个别逃逸仅仅促进了新的排列
腕上依然美丽

然而，落在在露水盈盈草地上的珠子
轻易打破了我对双重坚韧的盲目信任
亲爱的，谢谢你们对我的留恋
可连接你们的钢扣怎么会断

被微弱连接不断的抛弃
珠子们伤痕累累躺在我面前：
我们美丽过，我们坦然
但这不应是一个不可避免的遗憾

珠子珠子，
你们是不是要告诉我们：
高贵的美丽和精心的排列
需要坚实的钢扣和粗线承担？

Nervousness

Yali Li
March 1, 2008

A grey shade falls right on me
Is the sun passing a piece of cloud?
Is a devil approaching me?
No clue.

The guy above me knows
But he is a marble statue
With a facial expression
More mystic than Sphinx riddle.

I am nervous and confused
Before being pulled into darkness
I want to shout for the innocent and helpless
I want to ask God.

Leadership is sometimes a simple question
To provide a shoulder when a follower tries to climb
Or
To tight the rope when a follower is murdered?

God, God
Keep me under your blessings
Give me a tiny beam of sunlight
I want to continue singing like a skylark.

Wolves

April 21, 2008
Yali Li


When wolves are little
They are cute and vulnerable cubs
We can not help holding them gently
With the softest heart.

When wolves are wounded
They moan and sob weakly
We hurriedly run to rescue them
With tears in our eyes.

However…

When wolves are hungry
They are furious and anxious
We suddenly fall under their paws
With our blood dripping.

Wolves are wolves
They are not our buddies
We are not their friends
But PREY.

Underneath the Shell

April 25, 2008

Yali Li

I had a dream when I was little
A man’s back was covered with a shell
I happened to lift it…
Hundreds of eyes were blinking
Each in its own way.


I learned HTML* when I was at school
It is a text supported by unseen codes
I clicked its sources…
A series of complicated codes hide behind
A simple change on the surface.


I have been watching humans
Every one is HTML and carries a shell
I feel nervous to lift or click…
How are the eyes blinking and codes composed
Under chameleonic shells and sanctimonious words?


*HyperText Markup Language

Let Us Sing Together

June 10, 2008

Yali Li

Let me sing a very old song,
Please join me before my voice is gone.

Do you remember our splendid moments together,
We dreamed our dreams and hoped for our future?

Our simultaneous laughter once echoed in the sky,
Tears welled up your eyes when I started to cry.

Please, please keep in the depth of your heart,
The sunny moments together we spent.

Let’s, let’s gently sing the old song,
Allow sweet memories flowing along.

Positioning Yoga

September 6, 2008

Yali Li


Bend the body down
Lower
Lower
Faces disappeared, sinister or mendacious
An ant is dragging a crumb of bread home

Bend the body down
Further
Further
Head pushes between legs
Noise vanished: Peace

Bend the body down
Lower
Lower
Hands hug ankles from the front
Muscle painfully hails for its potential

Bend the body down
Further
Further
Eyes open from up side down
A different world spreads out

To bend, not to bow
Let it go
Let it go

Early Morning to School: walking with the moon

September 8, 2008

Yali Li


Moon moves silently as I walk
I start to sing
Cool air dances along with the song
Thank you, Moon, I am happy
Moon smiles

Moon moves peacefully as I walk
I start to run and jump
Moon creates a shadow following me
Thank you, Moon, I am not alone
Moon smiles

Moon moves cheerfully as I walk
I walk fast, she walks fast
I slow down, she slows down
Thank you, Moon, I am shined through
Moon smiles

Walking With a New Moon

For Mrs. Anneliese Konig – a graceful and loving mother

Yali Li
November 24, 2008

I am stunned right out of the door
People say that you enter a long dream
But you are high up in the winter sky
Maybe they are right
I see the beautiful curve of your sleeping eyes

I start to walk in your clear light
With the shadow you create for me
When I turn back to wave a thank you
A rose arch is shining in the dark blue sky
It resembles your lovely gift on my desk

When trees take away my shadow
I raise my head to search you
A white feather is floating swiftly through the branches
How do you know it
I keep one to make you a dream catcher

Winter leaves are rustling on the lawn
When I cross the silent campus
You change into a big smile in the pink blue sky
A splendid day opens right behind
Have a sweet dream, Moon Mama, thank you!

A Song of Thanksgiving

Yali Li
November 25, 2008

When my pretty turkey flaps his wings
Please don’t stay too far away
If he reaches you with a pumpkin basket
Please give him a smile for a happy day
The basket is filled with Thanks
Each represents a color variety

The golden “Thanks” goes to the Sun
For weaving the pool with shining threads
He covers water with a gorgeous crown
To allow me dancing in the liquid beams

The silver “Thanks” goes to the Moon
For walking with me each morning diligently
She lightens me and listens to me
To bring me a splendid peaceful day

The red “Thanks” goes to my son
For the unconditional love he keeps
He is a mirror and an umbrella I hold on
To help me moving on without regrets

The blue “Thanks” goes to Bronco
For the precious work-study opportunity
Changes and tests continue unfolding as we go
Born in the fire gives golden phoenix identity

Please reach into the center of the basket
Find the green one in Chinese character
It is for our friendship enduring weather
“Be humble, never enough
Be yourself, never give up”
These advices are still kept in my heart