This document is the foreword to a collection of poems written by the author over 41 years working in Taiwan's agricultural sector, from 1971 to 2012. It discusses the author's experiences working to help farmers through challenges like typhoons, negotiating Taiwan's accession to the WTO, and stepping down as Minister of Agriculture. It also explains that many of the poems were inspired by specific experiences and topics requested by others. The collection aims to capture both the author's professional experiences and personal feelings through poetry.

1. FOREWORD I
My agricultural career spanned 41 years beginning in 1971 friends wondered how I found time for poetry writing as
when I joined the Chinese-American Joint Commission minister.I addressed the same question to former Indian
on Rural Reconstruction as an assistant specialist.In these president A.P.J.Abdul Kalam.He answered with a smile that
years I visited all of Taiwan’s 319 townships,shook hands being a president was a job and a responsibility, but writing
with tens of thousands of farmers,rejoiced over bumper poems was for him a way of life.In fact I have been asked by
harvests,worried about low farm prices and supervised relief many friends to compose poems on specific subjects.Former
and rehabilitation operations in the wake of the 1999 quake Vice President Y.C. Tseng of the Legislative Yuan asked for
and Typhoon Morakot.I was part of the team negotiating poems celebrating pork knuckles and red beans, two special
Taiwan’s accession to the WTO,at once pleased at the products of his home county.Others designated such topics
breakthrough and concerned about the impact it would as “Dried Radishes,” ”Oval Kumquat,” ”Lotuses,” ”Goose,”
have on Taiwan’s agricultural sector.The experiences in the ”Aftertaste,” ”Wild Peonies,” and “Vanilla.”Writing on such
decades were so touching,engrossing and encouraging. topics usually required a fermentation period of one to two
weeks.Typhoon Morakot and the train accident on Alisan
After stepping down last February as minister of ,two traumatic experiences for many, brought out two
agriculture,I decided to publish a collection of poems I poems—“On the Way Home” and ”Three Seconds.”
had wretten in a similar vein on both job experiences and
personal feelings. And an English version should also be
provided for the benefit of foreign poet-friends. Many
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2. During the 41 years the agricultural sector had to manage was only one single sound of irrationality and populism.
with very limited resources.The small farms had to strive “The Worth of Politicians” was deplorably low because they
to survive typhoons and storms;they had to operate in an prized injustice over partisan interests.Their sound bites
increasingly competitive market. “Trust” recorded the strong were so deafening that “Sculpting the Altitude of the Eagle”
sense of mission with which I greeted the appointment would be worthwhile.
as COA minister.However, the sector continued to make
progress and bear bountiful fruit thanks to many unsung Many people have lent me a helping hand.Chien-wu Chen
heroes as well as the farming public.To pay “A Tribute to ,for one , started my poetic life solely because we both share
the Forrest Gumps in Taiwan’s Agriculture,” a documentary the name Wu-hsiung Chen.In 1988 he had two poems of
was produced .At its premiere many colleagues and I mine published in the Li Poetry Magazine —“Idea” and
shed thankful tears.As each day of my career was cut into “Track’;he also sponsored my membership in the publication
pieces,they could only be strung together by the steps of and wrote a preface for my first collection of poems titled
“Dancing Girls.” Mankind and the sun will eventually Accession to the WTO. He had special praise for the poem
vanish;our common mission is to find a “New Home” outside “ A Phoenix Rising From the Ashes” on Taiwan’s successful
of the solar system for the future generations. As memories bid to join the trade bloc and earnestly urged me to pursue
of the 228 Incident and the reign of terror lingered,”The Sky poetry writing.In 24 years we had built up a unique
of Taipei” was cut in half by noise.On “The Stage” there relationship—I respected him as both mentor and friend.
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