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Jianqing Zheng: The Overlook
—Eudora Welty’s photograph The Mississippi, near Vicksburg
Standing on the bluff, Eudora Welty must have been elated by the view of the confluence of the Mississippi and the Yazoo, a shoal extending to the middle of the flowing waters, two barges tooting upstream, the wooded land rolling out its dark green. Welty’s camera often focused on people, but this image shows a distant view of the river revealing the self in constant motion.
spring comes
the river rises
to the heart
I embrace two rivers, the Changjiang and the Mississippi, each taking a share of my tributary for thirty-four years. Life is a river. The migration from East to West is a way of releasing the self for a confluence of places and allowing the rivers to flow through me and form a shoal of belonging. While I stand on the overlook in Vicksburg, the river and I share a silent moment shrouded by the vast loneliness of sky and earth.
homecoming
time flows into
old time
~~~
Copyright 2025 Jianqing Zheng
Jianqing Zheng, who also publishes under the name John Zheng, is chair and professor of English at Mississippi Valley State University. His books include The Dog Years of Reeducation (Madville, 2023), a series of haibun recounting his experiences as a youth during the Chinese Cultural Revolution.
Ed. note: Eudora Welty’s photograph, titled “The Mississippi River, near Vicksburg,” is one of two photographs of the river included in her 2003 book, Some Notes on River Country, which also features her essay about the region. The image is not available for republication.
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Dear George, Laure-Anne, Rose, Jim,
Many thanks for reading and responding.
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I love Jian Zheng’s photos as much as his poetry. I’ve used his photos on two book covers of his so far… And there’s a new book in the works.
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Jian is great, isn’t he?
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Thank you, Kim and Mike, for your comments.
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Had never known of a haibun. A beautiful, delightful form, as it appears here.
The visual of the two prose poem stanzas, looming like bluffs over the two foci of the rivers below them on the screen. Wow.
I have now lived for 34 years four blocks from the Mississippi River in St. Paul. Eagles fly up from their to circle over the house most days. Will now walk down to the closest overlook, and attempt to intermingle the coursing waters below, with the waters flowing through that old heart-palace within. And then express the mingling. Thanks for such inspiration.
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Beautiful! Thanks, Jim!
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Like what you said about the two stanzas as bluffs. Many thanks for your comments.
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Delightful.
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I agree with George Drew: a beautiful and masterful haibun, John. SO very much is said in
spring comes
the river rises
to the heart
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Lovely photographs and lovely haibun, John…
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