A small, a gentle sorrow,
yet a rush of staining tears.
The tower’s high, I won’t go near the railing.
Spring Mount’s as far as I could see from here:
you’ve gone beyond there now.
translated by J.P. Seaton
11th Century Chinese poetry
from “You cannot hold it. . .” by Ou-yang Hsiu
Nurture the tender blossoms there, don’t wait.
No flowers to be plucked
from empty bough.
translated by J.P. Seaton
Rapt in Wine by Su Shih (Su Tung-p’o)
Rapt in wine against the mountain rains,
dressed I dozed in evening brightness,
and woke to hear the watch drum striking dawn.
In dreams I was a butterfly,
my joyful body light.
I grow old, my talents are used up,
but still I plot toward the return. . .
to find a field and take a cottage
where I can laugh at heroes,
and pick my way among the muddy puddles
on a lakeside path.
translated by J.P. Seaton
Presented to Liu Ching-wen by Su Shih (Su Tung-p’o)
Lotus withered, no more umbrellas to the rain.
A single branch, chrysanthemum stands against the frost.
The good sights of the year: remember those,
and now too: citrons yellow, tangerines still green.
translated by J.P. Seaton
Bright Moon, When Did You Appear? by Su Tung-p’o
Bright moon, when did you appear?
Lifting my wine, I question the blue sky.
Tonight in the palaces and halls of heaven
what year is it, I wonder?
I would like to ride the wind, make my home there,
only I fear porphyry towers, under jade eaves,
in those high places the cold wind would be more than I could bear.
So I rise and dance and play in your pure beams,
though this human world–how can it vie with yours?
Circling red chambers,
low in the curtained door,
you light our sleeplessness.
Surely you bear us no ill will–
why then must you be so round at times when we humans are parted!
People have their griefs and joys, their togetherness and separation,
the moon its dark and clear times, its roundings and wanings.
I only hope we two may have long long lives,
may share the moon’s beauty, though a thousand miles apart.
translated by Burton Watson
from Drinking Wine by Su Tung-p’o
Free the mind–let it move with the world
and doubt nothing it finds there!
In wine I stumbled on unexpected joy.
Now I always have an empty cup in hand.
translated by Burton Watson
Su Tung-p’o on companionship
I have wine and moon and flowers.
Who else do I want for drinking companions?
translated by Kenneth Rexroth
a reposting of Epigram by Su Tung-p’o
I fish for minnows in the lake.
Just born, they have no fear of man.
And those who have learned,
Never come back to warn them.
translated by Kenneth Rexroth
from The End of the Year by Su Tung-p’o
Everything passes, everything
Goes, and never looks back,
And we grow older and less strong.
translated by Kenneth Rexroth
from Under the Heaven of Our Holy Ruler by Su Tung-p’o
Bury me anywhere on the green hills
and another year in night rain grieve for me alone.
Let us be brothers in lives and lives to come,
mending then the bonds that this world breaks.
translated by Burton Watson
note: written while in prison for criticizing the empreror.
Leonard Durso 