20 November 2010

THE AUTUMN WIND

Emperor Wu-ti

Autumn wind rises: white clouds fly.
Grass and trees wither: geese go south.
Orchids all in bloom: chrysanthemums smell sweet.
I think of my lovely lady: I never can forget.
Floating-pagoda boat crosses Fen River.
Across the mid-stream white waves rise;
Flute and drum keep time to sound of rowers' song;
Amidst revel and feasting, sad thoughts come;
Youth's years how few! Age how sure!

2 comments :

Jim said...

More like this, please!

It's the kind of thing I like to read up in the Epirot mountains (see my Chinese and Japanese poetry postings). Very therapeutic.

Corfucius said...

it calms me too. in hong kong i had a serious gf with perfect voice for this. then she would translate in an even more poetic way.