When the Red Star rose over your troubled horizon
The faceless Messiah captured your innocent heart
Stirred by gospels of the magi from the West
And ancient dreams of a promised heaven

When East is Red drowned the voice of reason
Darkness at Noon shrouded the good earth
Nineteen Eighty Four rushed in at a big leap
Thriving with hungry ghosts and cow demon

Cleansed by messianic baptisms of blood and fire
With prophecies of things that already came true
You buried the gospels that had deluded millions
Before having your ashes buried far from home.

Note: Dong Leshan (1924-1999) translated from English
to Chinese, among other things, Red Star Over China
by Edgar Snow, Darkness at Noon by Arthur Koestler,
and 1984 by George Orwell.

1999