Idle Song by Po Chü-i

In moonlight, I envied vistas of clarity,
and in pine sleep adorned green shadow.

I wrote grief-torn poems when young,
plumbed the depths of feeling when old.

Now I sit up all night practicing ch’an,
and autumn can still bring a sudden sigh,

but that’s it. Two last ties. Beyond them,
nothing anywhere holds this mind back.

translated by David Hinton

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