If I like Solomon. . . .
could have my wish—
my wish. . .O to be a dragon,
a symbol of the power of Heaven–of silk worm
size or immense; at times invisible.
Felicitous phenomenon!
poetry
from An Exile’s Letter by Li Po (Li Bai)
What is the use of talking, and there is no end of talking,
There is no end of things in the heart.
I call in the boy,
Have him sit on his knees here
To seal this,
And send it a thousand miles, thinking.
translated by Ezra Pound
The Return by Anna Akhmatova
The souls of all my dears have flown to the stars.
Thank God there’s no one left for me to lose–
so I am free to cry. This air is made
for the echoing of songs.
A silver willow by the shore
trails to the bright September waters.
My shadow, risen from the past,
glides silently towards me.
Though the branches here are hung with many lyres,
a place has been reserved for mine, it seems.
And now this shower, struck by sunlight,
brings me good news, my cup of consolation.
translated by Stanley Kunitz with Max Hayward
I Am A Peach Tree by Li Po (Li Bai)
I am a peach tree blossoming in a deep pit.
Who is there I may turn to and smile?
You are the moon up in the far sky;
Passing, you looked down on me an hour; then went on forever.
A sword with the keenest edge,
Could not cut the stream of water in twain
So that it would cease to flow.
My thought is like the stream; and flows and follows you on forever.
translated by Shigeyoshi Obata
The Blue Water by Li Po (Li Bai)
Blue is the water and clear the moon.
He is out on the South Lake,
Gathering white lilies.
The lotus flowers seem to whisper love,
And fill the boatman’s heart with sadness.
translated by Shigeyoshi Obata
On The Tung-ting Lake II by Li Po (Li Bei)
The autumn night is vaporless on the lake.
The swelling tide could bear us on to the sky.
Come, let us take the moonlight for our guide,
We’ll sail away and drink where the white clouds are!
translated by Shigeyoshi Obata
The Ching-ting Mountain by Li Po (Li Bai)
Flocks of birds have flown high and away;
A solitary drift of cloud, too, has gone, wandering on.
And I sit alone with the Ching-ting Peak, towering beyond.
We never grow tired of each other, the mountain and I.
translated by Shigeyoshi Obata
In The Mountains by Li Po (Li Bai)
Why do I live among the green mountains?
I laugh and answer not, my soul is serene;
It dwells in another heaven and earth belonging to no man.
The peach trees are in flower, and the water flows on. . .
translated by Shigeyoshi Obata
from The Hard Road by Li Po (Li Bai)
Journeying is hard,
Journeying is hard.
There are many turnings–
Which am I to follow?. . .
I will mount a long wind some day and break the heavy waves
And set my cloudy sail straight and bridge the deep, deep sea.
translated by Witter Bynner & Kiang Kang-hu
In A Retreat Among Bamboos by Wang Wei
Leaning alone in the close bamboos,
I am playing my lute and humming a song
Too softly for anyone to hear–
Except my comrade, the bright moon.
translated by Witter Bynner & Kiang Kang-hu
Leonard Durso 