In my mother’s tongue
painter
is a combination
of
画 (huà):
painting or picture
and 家 (jiā):
home or family
in fact
almost all
creative professions
from author to potter
artist and lyricist
are constructed
in the same way
a painter is a painter
not because of
some qualification
or validation
from another
but simply
by virtue
of having made
a home
in the form
so let’s not ask
anymore:
what are you, or who?
instead,
where are you
most at home?
and
have you
made it your own?
Translations: 作家 (zuò jiā) – author; 陶艺家 (táoyì jiā) – potter; 艺术家 (yìshù jiā) – artist; 作词家 (zuòcí
jiā) – lyricist.