Don't turn national pain into farce
In the wake of the Sichuan earthquake, there was an outpouring of literary works that touched our hearts, among them poems. There was one by an anonymous author that assumes the voice of a mother talking to her dead child. It has simplicity tinged with sadness. One business executive, after reading it, pledged an additional 6 million yuan to the 4 million yuan already donated.
Recently, someone named Wang Zhaoshan published a poem, written in classic ci style, about the earthquake. He assumes the voice of a victim expressing gratitude from the grave for all the efforts the whole nation, especially our leaders and soldiers, have taken in rescue and relief.
Suffice to say, this is a horrible poem. It debases the purity of human love and compassion abundantly displayed in this tragedy.