Loanwords
Issue 1 | June 2014
Loanwords is the literary magazine of International Academic Alliance. IAA is an American administered international program that partners with local high schools in China. For more information about our program, please visit: iaaprograms.com/accel-high-school.
Contact or submit to Loanwords at:
[email protected] Editor: Jonathan Neske
Cover Calligraphy by Kim Yang
Cover Photography by Jonathan Neske
©2014 International Academic Alliance. All rights reserved.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Doors by David Sun
Untitled by James Yang
Untitled by Tom Jin
Your Story by Berg Wang
Untitled by Effie Wang
Naughty by Carey Jiang
A Shower of Haiku
Haiku inspired poems by:
Ricardo Zhao
Kim Yang
Matthew Jiang
and Holmes Liu
A Shower of Diamante
Diamante inspired poems by:
Shawn Xu
Laura Shen
Zoe Chen
Thea Yin
and Shelley Ying
Untitled by Tiffany Chen
Unnamed by Kessey Wang
A Man Who I Admire by Simon Pang
Untitled by Eagle Wei
Untitled by Mark Zhou
Remember When by Jerry Wang
Introduction
So why Loanwords? And what is a loanword, anyway?
A loanword is a term used in linguistics. It refers to a word that is taken from one language and is used in another without translation. I think it is an interesting title because a loanword is essentially a word that is the same in two different languages. I see it as a kind of bridge, or at least a place where two languages can meet amid so many differences.
I think it is similar to what the writers here are doing. They are trying to say something that is true for everyone despite language. Instead of a place where two languages meet amid so many differences, the writers here are describing instances where human experience meets amid so many differences. That is, in their work they are expressing something that is true for everyone. It needs no translation because the experience is the same.
But perhaps I've gotten ahead of myself because the more noteworthy part of this literary magazine is not the title, but the authors. All of our contributors are Chinese high school students who are currently enrolled in the International Academic Alliance program. They are all planning to go to college in America and have very demanding schedules. They have remarkably little free time, yet in the free time that they do have, they use to do some very creative things: photography, singing, playing music, making movies, and (of course) writing poetry.
I find their submissions remarkable. The language and the approach that these student authors use is both direct and surprising. Perhaps, they have such a different and such a fresh take on language precisely because they are not native speakers. I suppose, in the end, the reason doesn't matter. Collected here are some interesting poems by young authors just beginning their search into what is true for all people – what is true beyond borders and in both their old language and their new one.
Jonathan Neske
Ningbo, China, 2014
Doors
David Sun | Qingdao High School
There is a door which is in people’s soul
I negotiated with Mr. Paul
In a room with a door
He was keen on getting petty advantages and selfish
I sighed
Why people are petty?
How so?
Maybe it just because
There is a door which is in people’s soul
There is a door which is separating corridors and rooms
I went out of meeting room
I saw warm and sweet ornaments on the wall
People nod and smile to say hello to me
I smiled
Why people are pretty?
How so?
Maybe it just because
There is a door which is separate corridors and rooms
There is a door which is separating houses and outdoors
I went out of house and walked down the street
I was looking at crowded people
People were crazy at the gate of the People’s Mall
I sighed
Why are people such maniacs?
How so?
Maybe it just because
There is a door which is separating houses and outdoors
There is a door which is in my room
I held my astronomical telescope towards twinkling stars
I felt a strong sense of serenity and safety
I played Ode to Joy on my lovely piano
I smiled
Why do I feel peaceful at home?
How so?
Maybe it just because
There is a door in my room
If doors disappeared
How so?
Untitled
James Yang | Yinzhou High School
The world is amazing – all matter
created by atoms, the atoms like
Lego blocks. They are all mixed up into
all kinds of different objects: plants, rocks,
animals, and soon everything is set
beautifully and logically – the green leaves,
the grey rock, they white butterflies, and the
brown tree blooms
Even these different
objects are created by atoms, but they are
surprisingly designed into different shapes.
While you touch them, different objects have
different senses.
Now consider this, if we
erase all the scientific laws and theory in
human history, and all the vision of these
natural things, then you see a tree or a rock –
how cool is it that it was designed to be just like that!
Maybe that is the magic of science.
Untitled
Tom Jin | Yinzhou High School
I stand in a plain
I see a war
I see the great stone giant
I see the angry tree man
I see the small but strong dwarf
I see the evil ox
I see the fierce dragon
I see the light
I see the darkness
I see they are fighting
No one can win
However, I see human beings
I see human beings use gunpowder
They burn everything!
Nothing survives
They win the war.
They also lose the war.
What an honor!
What a shame!
Your Story
Berg Wang | Qingdao High School
Maybe it’s not your fault.
Maybe you just passed out.
Good bye, don’t be worried.
I will visit your cemetery.
And your story will be legendary.
During your funeral I remembered our childhood.
We played around in the neighborhood.
You told me you want to be a soldier.
But now you chose to go before me.
So what can I do?
But toast for you.
Hey brother, just rest in peace.
And wait for me there.
Untitled
Effie Wang | Qingdao High School
I met a girl, her name is Fate
She said she could make me a better person
But I
don't have faith
And day by day, she came to my place
She fixed up my broken life, when I thought there was nothing that needed to be fixed
She hugged me, she comforted me
But I got a little tired of this
And one day, when I was awake
I couldn't see her, in my place
I screamed and cried like a kid
Now I still remember her face
Remember her saying "my name is Fate"
Naughty
Carey Jiang | Yinzhou High School
an insect is trying to get out of the net
Green. Flowers yellow
big ants
bees move to collect honey
tree spider
Two parts of trees
under the tree is
white to protect itself
birds are singing
my classmate said
she is beautiful
and I'm ugly
How stupid
a bee is working
my classmate is crying
something is happening
What a piteous day!
A Shower of Haiku...
Ricardo Zhao | Yinzhou High School
When we met each other
we studied together
our story begins.
...a shower of haiku...
Kim Yang | Yinzhou High School
The clouds are really black
A heavy rain is coming soon
Run into your house.
...a shower of haiku...
Matthew Jiang | Yinzhou High School
A shy girl comes here
the beautiful flowers open
The sun shows his smile.
...a shower of haiku.
Holmes Liu | Yinzhou High School
Leaves
The color turns deep
slowly summer comes
quickly we are growing
Butterfly
White butterfly.
White queen. Leaves.
It must be the color
of spring.
Fireflies
You would not believe your eyes
if there are 10 million fireflies
They want to teach
me how to fly.
A Shower Of Diamante...
Shawn Xu | Yinzhou High School
Rain
cold and suddenly
drops from the sky
let me become weak and energetic
rainy day.
...a shower of diamante...
Laura Shen | Yinzhou High School
flower
sweet white
growing opening smiling
witness to failure
success
...a shower of diamante...
Zoe Chen | Yinzhou High School
Birds,
hide themselves,
songs through leaves,
can't know their emotions,
Fairies.
...a shower of diamante...
Thea Yin | Yinzhou High School
Ants
small black
running, moving, chattering
stronger than it looks
working together
...a shower of diamante.
Shelly Ying | Yinzhou High School
Butterflies
beautiful insects
fly and dance
white, yellow, black,
graceful
Water smells strange and bad
there are many green things in it
no fish and no birds
Spring is coming
There are many lives in the garden
but it is beginning to rain
many insects will die
Untitled
Tiffany Chen | Yinzhou High School
Listen
can you hear any noise?
there's no one talking
there's no machine working
there's a silence in the world
Listen
can you hear any noise?
The birds are singing
the wind is running
the leaves are whispering
this is our supreme world
and this is the sound of silence.
Unnamed
Kessey Wang | Qingdao High School
When the sun rises
When the moon falls
Then the birds sing
When the sky bright
When the alarm rings
Then the dream ends
A new day has already came
Every day is a wonderful day
Every day is an amazing day
Different things happened one by one
Laugh out loud all the time
It’s a great honor to breathe the fresh air
It’s a happiness to be standing here
But I can’t help thinking
The resources are using up
The rivers are drying up
The sea level is getting higher
The climate is warming
The mother we all have
Is dying
I can’t help thinking
What if one day the sun doesn’t rise
What if one day the moon doesn’t fall
What if one day the birds stop singing
What if the alarm doesn’t ring
What if the dream doesn’t end
What if the earth starts to quake
What if the sea starts to wave
Still, I can’t help thinking
What if a new day doesn’t come
A Man Who I Admire
Simon Pang | Qingdao High School
Every time I make a mistake
You will be serious
But forgive me
Every time I get hurt
You will be reproachful
But ask me if it’s painful
Every time I see you during the midnight
You will be at working
But won’t be frustrated
Every time I get a problem
You will show up
You are everywhere around me
You are a hero for me
You are protecting me
You are taking all the responsibility on your shoulder
You are carrying me to move forward
You are my father
Untitled
Eagle Wei | Yinzhou High School
Little birds flew away
left a trail of voice in the sky
then come back tomorrow
Tears
crystal, tiny
shining, rolling, dropping
eliminate the passed memory
Beginning
Water is the origin of all living organisms.
But is also the end of lives.
It turns to vapors and flows toward the sky,
but forgot to take the yellow leaves flooded on its surface.
Untitled
Mark Zhou | Yinzhou High School
Birds are talking about me
Bushes are hiding me
Paths are for guiding me
I heard someone talking to me
saying, “You are not alone.”
The setting sun is warming me
The wind is comforting me
The ants are eating my heart
I hear someone talking to me
calling my name.
Telling me, “Don't be ashamed.
And I just want to say
say to you
I love you.”
Remember When
Jerry Wang | Qingdao High School
I’m walking along a shady path,
With the aroma of leaves and flowers.
I have seen this scene before.
This reminds me some unforgettable memories.
The feelings are so true and precious,
We were so happy at that time.
I still remember
the stupid things we did together
We were running and yelling at school
Singing our favorite songs
Didn’t care about anything
I believe we can go back there
But everything is changed
The happiness between us has gone
Suddenly the life became complicated
You’ve lost inside
Like the night stars
Far away from here
I’m not sure you know
Goodbye sunshine
Goodbye my friend
The new life is waiting for me,
I need to fight for the futures.