So much beauty home–flowers filled the house.
So much beauty gone–nothing but this empty bed,
your embroidered quilt rolled up, never used.
It’s been three years. Your scent still lingers,
your scent gone and yet never ending.
But now you’re gone, never to return,
thoughts of you yellow leaves falling,
white dew glistening on green moss.
translated by Daviid Hinton
T’ang Dynasty
Avoiding Farewell in a Chin-ling Wineshop by Li Po
Breezes filling the inn with willow-blossom scents,
elegant girls serve wine, enticing us to try it.
Chin-ling friends come to see me off, I try to leave
but cannot, so we linger out another cup together.
I can’t tell anymore. Which is long and which short,
the river flowing east or thoughts farewell brings on?
translated by David Hinton
Crooked River Meditation by Tu Fu
Each falling petal diminishes spring.
Ten thousand of them sadden me.
Spring flowers pale, and I grieve,
and ease my remorse with wine.
Kingfishers nest in the temple hall.
A stone unicorn adorns a royal grave.
Taking my pleasures where I find them,
I fill my cup again.
translated by Sam Hamill
Bamboo Branch Song by Liu Yuxi
Willows are green, green and the river water flat.
I hear a man on the river singing me songs
and see sun on my east, rain to my west.
The sun is shying off, but I feel his shine.
translated by Tony Barnstone and Chou Ping
A Spring in Autumn by Xue Tao
Behind a ribbon of evening mist, a chill sky distills,
and a melody of far waterfalls like ten silk strings
comes to my pillow to tug feelings,
keeping me sleepless in sorrow past midnight.
translated by Tony Barnstone & Chou Ping
Written in Response to Court Gentleman Liu on Meeting and Parting at the South Wall on the Way Back to Yangchou on a Spring Day by Wei Ying-wu
The third month in Yangchou the city was in bloom
we met and got drunk among the flowers
we were going different directions but not very far
what the evening tide took away the morning tide brought back
translated by Red Pine
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
After Waiting for Censor Yuan and Professor Li at Tungte Temple, When Neither Arrives, I Send Each a Poem by Wei Ying-wu
The courtyard trees are suddenly dark
why didn’t my old friend come
it must be because he hates the heat
and spends his days on a frost-covered terrace
The glory of office comes with its burdens
retired life too means less time together
I watched for you from the upper story
until the blue ridges were almost black
translated by Red Pine
Happily Meeting an Old Friend from Liangchuan on the Huai by Wei Ying-wu
When we were both guests in Chianghan
whenever we met we left drunk
we’ve been drifting clouds ever since
following rivers ten years now
the happiness we feel is the same
though our hair has thinned and turned gray
why haven’t we gone home
and left these autumn hills on the Huai
translated by Red Pine
Climbing a Tower: To Councillor Wang by Wei Ying-wu
I hate climbing mountains and towers without you
the clouds and sea of Ch’u and memories never end
the sound of mallets at the foot of leafless hills
in a perfecture of brambles and winter rain
translated by Red Pine
Leonard Durso 