Those Simple Days

In old days

we didn’t just wait for good fortune to come

We followed traditional rituals

hoping that would usher in prosperity

Toward the end of lunar December 

the year became a monster

loaded with sorrows and regrets

It blocked the entrance for good luck 

On New Year’s Eve

we scared this monster away

with loud noise and bright sparks

by setting off fire crackers

For New Year’s Day

we decorated our doors with spring festival scrolls

On them prosperous words inscribed

They served to welcome the God of Wealth

We also set small dishes of rice and salt

in the corners of the rooms

to satiate the invisible devils hiding in our abodes

so they wouldn’t nibble away our fortune

In those days

monsters and devils were not hard to expel

Good fortunes we asked for were not many

simply ample food and good health

By Shih-Fang Wang

From: United States