Chapter I: Weep Alone Before My Silver Lamp and Grow Frail as Hsiao Yan the

SLENDER BEAUTY. WHEN SHALL WE SHARE A NIGHT LIKE THIS, A SPRING NIGHT LIKE THIS, AND MEET TOGETHER UNDER A FULL MOON? [_Anonymous_]

JADE FLOWER PALACE

HERE BY THE WINDING STREAMLET, AMONG THE SIGHING WINDS, OLD GRAY MICE SCURRY OVER THE ROOF-TILES. NO ONE ANY MORE REMEMBERS THE PRINCE’S NAME WHO BUILT THIS PALACE UNDER OVERHANGING CLIFFS.

IN DARKENED ROOMS YOU CAN SEE GREEN GHOST FIRES ... FROM THE FLUTES OF THE FOREST YOU CAN HEAR A THOUSAND VOICES. THE YOUNG PALACE LADIES OF LONG AGO ARE IN THEIR YELLOW GRAVES ... THEN WHY ARE PAINTED SCROLLS STILL HANGING ON THE WALL? THE CHARIOTEERS AND THEIR GOLD CHARIOTS ARE CRUMBLED ... THEN WHY ARE STONE HORSES, CARVED IN OLDEN DAYS, STANDING YET?

SADNESS SITS ON THE GRASS. I SING THE STORY, BUT I AM HEAVY WITH SORROW ... AMONG ALL THESE PATHS THAT WE MAY WALK ALONG INTO THE DISTANCE, WHICH ONE WILL EVER CARRY US TO LIFE FOREVER? [_Tu Fu_]

WINE-FLASK AT SUNSET

SPRING FRAGRANCES, AND LEVEL SUN-SHAFTS, COME SIFTING THROUGH MY SHUTTERS. NOW COMES THE SUPPER-HOUR WHEN BOATMEN BOIL THEIR RICE ON THE RIVER. IN THE GARDEN SPARROWS ARE TWITTERING ... ON THE ROAD A CHARIOT-WHEEL IS GRATING.

NOW FOR THE WINE-FLASK. LET MY TROUBLES FLY AWAY ... JOINING THE INSECTS A-BUZZ IN THE LATE-SUN GARDEN. [_Tu Fu_]

WHEN THE SUN ROSE ...

WHEN SHE WENT OUT TO MEET HER LOVER UNDER THE BIG WILLOW TREE BY THE RIVER EDGE, SHE PUT ON TWO OF HER LOVELY ROBES TO PLEASE HIM.

WHEN THE SUN SANK BELOW THE HILLS, AND THE NIGHT WAS DARK, THE TWO LOVERS STILL LAY THERE, TALKING TENDERLY TOGETHER.

SUDDENLY SHE ROSE TO HER FEET, ROSY WITH SHAME. HER THIRD ROBE, THE DARKNESS UNDER THE WILLOW, HAD FALLEN OFF WITH DAWN.... [_Li Chuang-chia_]

GOING TO MARKET

THE LITTLE SERVANT-BOY ... TYING THE FEET OF THE CHICKEN HE WILL TAKE TO MARKET. THE CHICKEN FLUTTERS IN HIS HANDS, AND SQUAWKS WITH FRIGHT.

MY FATHER STARES WITHOUT FEELINGS. MY MOTHER TURNS AWAY HER HEAD. A SPARROW OVERHEAD IS ACTING SO DELIGHTED ... MAYBE SOME EXTRA GRAIN FOR HIM? [_Tu Fu_]

LIKE A CORMORANT

THE CORMORANT STANDS STILL, THINKING, ALL ALONE AT THE RIVER’S EDGE. HIS STARING EYE FOLLOWS THE CHANGING WATERS.

WHEN STROLLERS COME TOO CLOSE TO HIM, BALANCING HIS LONG NECK HE FLAPS AWAY, WAITING IN THE TALL REEDS TILL THE INTRUDERS PASS ... WISHING TO STARE AGAIN AT THE UNDULATIONS OF THE STREAM.

AND AT DUSK, WHEN THE MOON IS RIPPLING ON THE WAVES, THE CORMORANT STILL STANDS, THINKING, WITH ONE FOOT IN THE CURRENT ... JUST SO A MAN, HIS HEART BURNING WITH PASSION, STARES AT THE UNDULATIONS OF HIS DREAM. [_Su Tong po_]

TROUBLED WATERS

THE AUTUMN MOON IS DANCING IN THE GREEN WATERS OF LAKE NAN-HOU. NOW THE SOUND OF MY OARS HAS TROUBLED THE LOVE-SONG OF WHITE WATER-LILIES SINGING TO THE MOON. [_Li Po_]

CAPTIVITY

IN THE OLD DAYS, IN THE PALACE HUNG WITH PAINTED SCROLLS, IT WAS A GOOD LIFE FOR ME. INCENSE BURNED WHERE I WALKED, SILK CUSHIONS WERE SCATTERED WHERE I SLEPT, MUSICIANS PLAYED ABOUT ME ... I LOOKED OUT ON GARDENS WITH PATHS OF CORAL PEBBLES.

NOW, PRISONER IN THIS COLD FORTRESS, I HEAR ONLY FRIGHTENING CALLS FROM THE WATCHMAN, SILLY CRIES FROM MONKEYS PLAYING ON BARE ROCKS IN MOONLIGHT.

FEAR SHAKES ME. MY GUTS ARE EMPTIED OF COURAGE. IF ONLY I COULD SEE THE LIGHTS OF THE CAPITAL! ... BUT ALL I CAN SEE ARE STARS ABOVE IT.