Foreign Wife Elegy

    My language¹ has its own² world

    where he doesn't know how to live，

    but he should learn my language；

    then he can call my mother to say

    that I am dead³. I drive too fast

    and someone⁴ else drives too fast

    and we crash⁵ on the icy⁶ road.

    The death⁷ sweeps⁸ me away.

    He can tell this to my mother

    if he learns my language.

    Her large yellow voice⁹ travels¹⁰

    and hits his body， but at least¹¹ she knows

    that I am dead， and if I die¹²，

    I want him to tell my mother

    with his deep¹³ voice shaking¹⁴.