A fisherman’s taking his boat deep across the lake.
My old eyes trace his path all the way, his precise
wavering in and out of view. Then it gets strange:
suddenly he’s a lone goose balanced on a bent reed.
translated by David Hinton
Yang Wan-li
The Small Pond by Yang Wan-li
A spring’s eye of shadow resists even the slightest flow.
Among tree shadow, its lit water adorns warm clear skies.
Spiral of blades, a tiny waterlily’s clenched against dew,
and there at the very tip, in early light, sits a dragonfly.
translated by David Hinton
At Hsieh Cove by Yang Wan-li
The ox path I’m on ends in a rabbit trail, and suddenly
I’m facing open plains and empty sky on all four sides.
My thoughts follow white egrets–a pair taking flight,
leading sight across a million blue mountains rising
ridge beyond ridge, my gaze lingering near then far,
enthralled by peaks crowded together or there alone.
Even a hill or valley means thoughts beyond knowing–
and all this? A crusty old man’s now a wide-eyed child!
translated by David Hinton
On A Boat Crossing Hsieh Lake by Yang Wan-li
I pour out a cup or two of emerald wine inside the cabin.
The door swings closed, then back open onto exquisite
ranged mountains: ten thousand wrinkles unseen by anyone,
and every ridge hand-picked by the sun’s slant light.
translated by David Hinton
Crossing Open-Anew Lake by Yang Wan-li
A fisherman’s taking his boat deep across the lake.
My old eyes trace his path all the way, his precise
wavering in and out of view. Then it gets strange:
suddenly he’s a lone goose balanced on a bent reed.
translated by David Hinton
Waking Up in Early Summer by Yang Wan-li
The sour trace of plums squirts between my teeth
the light green of bananas fills my window screen
waking up at noon without a thought or care
I sit and watch my children chasing willow fuzz
translated by Red Pine
Passing By Waterwheel Bay by Yang Wan-li
Reading in my palanquin, I fall asleep and dream–
dream of a fishing boat, lapped by waves.
When I awake, the wind is riffling the pages of my book,
and I can’t even find the right chapter.
trans. Jonathan Chaves
Leonard Durso 