Poems from Prison

Foreword

At the end of last year, I was sent to a detention centre because I refused to give in to officials' demands to give up my practice of Falun Dafa. Seven months later, I was released due to lack of evidence, regaining my freedom.

Being sent to the detention centre, I had no misgivings. Stepping out of the detention centre, I was unperturbed, because I had done nothing to regret or be ashamed of.

Even today, many people still ask me why I hadn't written a so-called "Guarantee Statement" [A statement to declare that he or she is remorseful for practising Falun Gong and guarantees not to practise Falun Gong again, not go to Beijing to appeal for Falun Gong, and never again associate with any Falun Dafa practitioners.] or a so-called "Repentance Statement" [In this statement the practitioner is forced to admit remorse for practising Falun Gong, promise to give up Falun Gong, and never again associate with other practitioners or go to Beijing to appeal for Falun Gong.]. That way I could have been released earlier. I tell them that while in detention, even though my body had been confined, my mind was free. If I had written something that betrayed my soul, maybe my body would be free, however from then on, my soul would be shackled. What I want is real and integrated freedom, because I'm innocent.

Today, I have done it. I have regained my physical freedom and I retain my beliefs. That is why I want to share my experiences with the people who love me, hate me, or have helped me.

I was sent to the detention centre because of my belief and my conscience. A prisoner who had been sentenced to death asked me, "If you are right and kind, why were you sent here? Don't you talk about retribution?" I then wrote the following poem:

Atone

-For the inmate and as a reply to "why am I here?"

I come here
In this period of my life
I come here to atone for your soul
If you are willing
Then
It is mine
You shall take care of it for me
Don't let it become broken again
And don't let it be covered by dust
Until that day
You bring it and hand it to me in good condition
I'll then give it back to you perfectly
I come here
To atone for your soul
In this period of my life

---

One day, while an inmate was chatting with me, he sighed with emotion and said to me, "I have never done anything that was against heavenly law or was harmful to my friends and relatives. Why is God so unfair as to have me endure such hardship?" Upon hearing that, I had a special feeling in my heart and wrote the following poem:

Happiness is actually just a kind of feeling

--For the inmate and as a reply to "why is God so unfair to me?"

Happiness is actually just a kind of feeling
God did an experiment
He arranged the destiny for every person
But left the right of feeling the destiny to the people themselves
Then everybody started their lives
And God just stood aside to watch in silence

He has seen:

Some people judge life with money
They feel rich or poor;
Some people judge life with power
They feel noble or lowly;
Some people judge life with honor
They feel glory or shame;
Also some people judge life with others' lives
They feel it is satisfactory or unfair.
Thus, some people praised,
"Thank you, God!
For granting us so much happiness and fortune!"
God smiled,
"I only arranged your destiny.
It is yourselves who have chosen your feelings."

Some other people complained loudly,
"What kind of God are you?!
Why are you so unfair to us?
Why let us suffer so many hardships and tribulations!"
God smiles,
"I only arranged your destiny.
It is yourselves who have chosen your feelings."
Here, a fool came to God
He always accepted God's arrangements compliantly all his life
So he never felt anything about his life.
He told God without any reservation,
"God, your arrangements had no meaning for me."
God smiled, and then turned his face away.

A wise man came to God and borrowed God's wisdom eye.
So he read his destiny.
Like having a feast,
He carefully tasted God's arrangements,
Sometimes reverberant and exciting, sometimes gentle and mild.
At last, he came back to God,
"God, my Lord! Thank you for letting me see all these clearly through your eyes.
Thank you for granting me such a generous present!"

God smiles,

"If you could not only look with my eyes but also think with my heart, You could become me!"

---

The Flowers of the Future

--At present you plant a seed of truth, for your beautiful blossoms of the future

I am a diligent gardener,
Who walked into your heartland by chance,
I saw the large land out of cultivation,
Seems there has not been a spring for a long time.

So I said,
"Let's cultivate here a little. Make it a lawn."
You said impatiently,
"Forget it! You are wasting your effort."
I smiled,
"Let's grow some flowers here and make it a garden."
You hesitated and said,
"Forget it. I don't see any meaning in it."
I drew your hand to me and put a seed in it, a sparkling seed with fantastic splendour.

"This seed is called Truth.
It can blossom into the most beautiful flower in the world."
Curiosity flashed through your eyes,
"The most beautiful flower in the world?"
"Yes, people call that flower Future!"

Then I held your hands and planted the fantastic seed in the land.
The Truth then took root, sprouted, and had its first leaf.
You were so happy, you watered and fertilised it everyday.
You blocked the wind and kept the rain off

Just like this,
Together with the seed,
You went through the chilly spring, hot summer, desolate fall and piercingly cold winter.
When the last chill in the wind faded,
The seed of Truth had its first bud.
You were so excited that you could not sleep for nights.
Waiting aside for the flower to burst

Finally, on that unusual morning,
Butterflies dancing over the grass,
Birds singing on the branches,
The bud burst into a flower,
So beautiful and moving.
The splendour of Truth suddenly cast colourful lights upon the meadow.
You clapped your hands and shouted loudly,
"Hurry up and look, Gardener.
Our Truth has blossomed.
How beautiful is our Future!"
However, the Gardener had already left quietly, leaving the beautiful Future for you.

Later, the meadow became a garden, with beautiful flowers of Future all over.
You named the garden a pleasant name:
"Future Garden"

Will you still occasionally think of me, the gardener?
If so, just whisper my name.
I will definitely hear you.
I will quietly stand above the clouds,
And look at you with smile.