My boat goes west, yours east.
Heaven’s a wind for both journeys.
From here, the clouds and the mountains,
the horizon’s vague.
A thousand miles . . .
My heart, a dark swan,
confused in the vastness.
translated by J.P. Seaton
Chinese poetry
untitled poem by Chou Wen
These few drops, these
tears of autumn on my heart.
I dare not let the first one fall
lest autumn’s river well
on endlessly.
translated by J.P. Seaton
from Seven Verses by Yun-k’an Tzu
Laugh if you want,
I understand.
So I’ve used up a fortune . . .
I’ve thought it over carefully,
and it doesn’t bother me.
I’ll just straggle down this road
till I’ve danced to some paradise . . .
translated by J.P. Seaton
from Returning to My Home in the Country No. 4 by T’ao Yüan-ming
In one generation both court and city change–
be assured, that’s no idle saying.
Man’s life is a phantom affair,
and he returns at last to the empty void.
translated by Burton Watson
On Encountering Evening Rain While Seeing Off Li Wei by Wei Ying-wu
River of Ch’u in light rain
evening bells of Chienyeh
rows of sails spreading out
birds disappearing slowly
Ocean Gate too far to see
riverside trees a distant green
there’s no end to goodbye
a pair of silk streams soak my sleeves
translated by Red Pine
from Four “Tzu-yeh” songs: Song 4
Long night: unable to sleep
The moon, how beautifully bright.
Calling, someone seems calling.
Into the empty air, I answer “Yes?”
translated by Wai-lim Yip
from Nineteen Old Poems by an anonymous Chinese poet
A friend who is not firm as a great rock
Is of no profit and idly bears the name.
translated by Arthur Waley
Song 3 by Tzu-yeh
Nights are long and I cannot sleep
the clear moon so bright and shining.
I think I hear a voice fitfully calling,
and futilely I answer yes to the empty sky.
translated by Burton Watson
Song 2 by Tzu-yeh
In the hottest time, when all is still and windless
and summer clouds rise up at dusk,
under the dense leaves, take my hand
and we’ll float melons on the water, dunk crimson plums.
translated by Burton Watson
Song by Tzu-yeh
Cool breezes–I sleep by the open window
where the light of the setting moon shines in.
At midnight there are no voices,
but within my gauze curtains, a pair of smiles.
translated by Burton Watson
Leonard Durso 