Summer Night in a Village
Ding dong, the blacksmith cast
his last strike on the hoe
Red hot iron put in water
zeeee...
He gave a long sigh of relief
wiped his sweat and closed his shop.
The woman next door had already fed
her kids and animals.
Her mother-in-law had usurped the throne
of the little emperor,
the baby boy of the house.
She commanded the household
while cuddling the baby.
The blacksmith saw the woman
with a giant rice steamer
in one hand
a bamboo tray full of dirty clothes
in another
heading towards the pond.
He faked a cough
that sent her hips
swinging in shorts
rarely seen in
broad day light.
She kept on going
until a white figure
splashing out of the water
called out,
"Stop, haven't you seen
a naked man before?"
She could tell from his voice
that he was too green
for her match.
She stepped on to the long wide
washing stone that was
smooth and cold.
The voice kept saying
"Hey, hey, go away."
Dong dong dong, she started
hitting her laundry rhythmically
with a wooden bat.
"Oh yeah, you dare not go
where the big men wash
'cause your thing
can't stick out."
Dong dong dong,
dirty water was squeezed out.
"Don't you have enough
of your old man?
You want mine?"
She tossed her laundry out
like fisherman's net
let it float and sink
and pulled it out
on to the stone flat.
Dong dong dong,
it took another beating.
One ripple after another,
she churned the moon and stars
into liquid silver.
"I've eaten more salt
than your rice.
I can smell your stink
from your old lady's milk.
Don't hide it,
I can tell if it's pointing to
the east or west."
The white figure jumped out of the pond,
grabbed his clothes
and ran for his dear life.
"Ha ha ha, you drowned ghost
have your old lady
suckle you some more!"
He knew the next day
she would make him
the laughing stock
in the fields.
When the blacksmith heard her coming
he shot out with a long laundry pole,
His bare chest shining
under the moon light.
"This is new from the bamboo grove.
I've smoothed it out for you.
You may need it tonight."
Before she could say anything
her mother-in-law shouted
from the house,
"What took you so long?
The baby is hungry."
"Waaa, waaa..."
Granny pinched the baby's butt.
For a few seconds she stood there
motionless.
The blacksmith had his mouth
wide open when he saw
milk dripping from her blouse.
She rushed in leaving him
stuck with his bamboo.
