Work in progress

Seven years ago, poet Sirongyun appeared in public view with his work Young People, Please Bear With It, which struck a chord with the youth and spread quickly online. One year later, he published a poetry collection with the same title, and at the end of last year he brought out his second official book Cliff Rising After Meeting You.

The poet from Jiangsu province started to write poems when he was a kid and has dedicated himself to the craft for over 15 years. In past years, he worked as a property manager as well as a staff member at an internet startup and is now a freelancer engaging in photography and poetry-related work. For Sirongyun, now in his 30s, one thing that hasn't changed is writing poetry, which has accompanied him through days and nights of loneliness.

Poetry makes Sirongyun curious and look forward to the future. "I can't wait to see what kinds of poems I will create when I grow old," he said.

Earning his fame with a poem about youths' inner struggles, Sirongyun said he is now entering the next stage of his life, where he is more focused on looking outward.

He came to understand the relationship between poetry and our times. "Technology is changing the way authors create. Big data and automatic input methods offer us buzzwords of the era and high-frequency expressions of our own, so will you go with the flow? We all carry the same burden of what goes on in our world, but will you simply avoid referring to them in your works? Poetry records individual voices in a big era," he said.

Going through all these phases, Sirongyun has realized the things that matter to poets who commit themselves to long-standing creation — to constantly challenge and always stay true to themselves. His words of advice to young poets are clear. "Do not repeat yourself, whether in language or content. And try to find your own voice — the genuine things you want to put in your poems," he said.