To Tzu-chih: among the “Flowers” by Li Shang-yin

The light on the pool suddenly hides behind the wall,
Mingled scents of flowers invade the room.
On the edge of the screen, powder smeared by the butterfly:
On the lacquered window the yellow print of the bee.
Push those state papers across to the clerks,
There’s a maid for every honest civil servant.
Let’s ride abreast and hear each other’s poems.
What’s so urgent about this business you waste your heart on?

translated by A.C.Graham

9 thoughts on “To Tzu-chih: among the “Flowers” by Li Shang-yin

  1. How wonderful life would be if we all could just be immersed in art, sharing ourselves in sweetness and in joy, and push the structures of this world away. How nice this would be. xx Amy

Leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.