ROCK’N’ROLL
ON THE NEW LONG MARCH
I’ve heard
about, but never seen
Twenty-five thousand miles.
Some talk about it, but never done it
How do they know it’s tough?
I just concentrate and move ahead
On a quest for myself.
Walking here, walking there
Without any destination.
Whatever I think,
whatever I write
Is all *short guns and small rice.
Many theories, all of them say
Everything is *cannons and bombers.
Sweat pours out, tears roll down
But I’m still not convinced.
Hide for awhile, dodge for a bit
And say to myself, "Don’t worry."
Oh! 1234567….
Ask heaven, ask
earth
"How many more miles to go?"
Beg the wind, beg the rain
"Please leave me alone."
Many mountains, many rivers
But can’t get my bearings.
Many people, many mouths
But can’t make any sense of them.
What to say? What
to do?
To find the real me?
What song? How to sing it?
To finally be satisfied?
Walking along and thinking about
Snowy mountains and green pastures.
Walking along and singing about
Our great leader Chairman Mao.
Oh! 1234567….
* Short guns and small rice was a metaphor the People's Liberation Army used to refer to their capacity for waging war against the Kuomintang Army - whose capacity the PLA alternately referred to as Cannons and bombers. While the KMT employed superior firepower, this proved ineffective against the guerilla tactics and rudimentary weaponry of the PLA.