All things pass and all things remain
but our task is to pass through,
to pass through making roads,
roads out over the sea.
translated by Mary G. Berg & Dennis Maloney
this picture
there’s this picture
that reappears
against my will
in my mind
and breaks
yes breaks
my heart
all over again
regret for the words unsaid
remorse for the acts displayed
that have only left
this picture
in my mind
poem by Antonio Machado
The best of the good people
know that in this life
it’s all a question of proportion;
a little more, a little less . . .
translated by Mary G Berg & Dennis Maloney
mixing Johnny Cash with Wang An-shih: this ravaged face
everyone I know
has left
or will be
leaving
in the end
and here I stay
with this ravaged face
and broken heart
without the tools
to mend
a phoenix: my Easter poem
I wish I were
a phoenix
and could rise
again
to be at that table
among those people
having that holiday dinner
once more
Golden-Tomb City by Wang An-Shih
Old lichen and moss: what more remains of Golden-Tomb,
where people came and went, wandering north and south?
Spring wind past stone walls remembers best: home after
home, apricot and peach in broken courtyards blossoming.
translated by David Hinton
Death of My Horse by Wang An-Shih
In loving devotion to this old guest among pine and bamboo, it
slept nights beneath my east window how many years? A colt
come from heaven’s stable, it’s turned dragon now and set out,
leaving only a lame little donkey for my wanderings in idleness.
translated by David Hinton
with a tip of my hat to Patty Griffin & We Five: walk away my blues
must have walked
ten million miles
lost my way
then found again
drunk with friends
in a thousand honky-tonk bars
danced for months on beaches
under moons and suns
had troubles to bear
wounds to heal
blues to lose
doused campfires
let the wolves in
then hit the road again
always searching
for that sweet smile
I lost somewhere
along the way
To the Tune of “West River Moon” Part II: for Qian Dai-Zhi by Su Tung-p’o (Su Dong-Po)
Do not sigh over the desolate prairie
Linger before you leave for Lu
We remember the fire of youth
understand life as a brief lodging
My thousand stems of white hair salute you
I fine you a hundred deep cups of wine
Who needs to float in a pond of wine
I am utterly drunk on account of you
translated by Yun Wang
Farewell to Shu Gu by Su Tung-p’o (Su Dong-Po)
I looked back at the jumbled ridges
No sign of people only their walls
I envy the stupa on Linping Mountain
It stands tall
greeted travelers from the west and saw one off
Dusk wind swept over my path home
My pillow turns chill and dreams don’t come
Tonight in the slanting light of a flickering lamp
tears glimmer
The autumn rains have stopped but not the tears
translated by Yun Wang
Leonard Durso 