Smile

I smile when I don’t understand
the words that people say to me.
My smile is like an innocent baby’s.

I smile when people yell at me.
I don’t understand why they do this.
My smile is like a baby’s cry.

I smile when I serve people.
Sometimes it is the only way
for me to communicate with others.
I smile to give warmth to people and
hope they will return it.

I smile when people help me.
I understand how important it is
to take my first step,
and then walk independently.

I smile when I am tired.
I see what I have earned
from the hard work that I have done.

I smile when I can finally listen and speak.
The more I smile,
the more people treat me
like a real person in this society.

I smile no matter how hard a life I have had.
I smile to the past, I smile to the present,
I smile to the future. I smile to all.

– Gu Xiong, 1996