10
rat dreaming

a hungry rat runs past the bed
rats always run
they’re always hungry

a rat dances towards the light
this is the rodent’s joy

unending night
up on the roof
a howling wind

paper’s torn
rain beats the walls rotten

think of the shutters mumbling insensibly

‘life took me everywhere’
the old rat said

‘now only my underbelly’s still black
the rest is grey, I’ve snow white whiskers

once I dreamt I woke a man
I’ve long since slept that nightmare off’

bedclothes too thin
see how I turn

the autumn gets inside me

for thousands of miles
these mountains the same

still thousands of years
to this night




11
serene music

pines and bamboo
in the garden touch clouds
a pleasure to live in this place

walking east with my stick
to taste pork
that’s been blessed

wine warms on the hob
soon we’ll imbibe

*

in the harvest season
pick pears and jujubes

in the west wind
kids fight lengths of bamboo

they don’t frighten anyone … in fact
they cheer up a secret old codger like me

12
moon over the west river

bright moon frightens crows on the bough
cicadas shrill cool at midnight
a whiff of these fields you can tell a good crop
every frog croaks loud for the harvest

on the horizon, seven, eight stars
two or three drops of rain on the hill
thatched inn next to the village god’s house
round the corner the old bridge still there





13
moon over the west river 2

even though alcohol makes you happy
it’s not as if one has time to be sad
till lately I thought the works of the sages
useless no matter how right

drunk by the old familiar pine last night
I asked the tree just how
…drunk I mean, of course, I asked…
he helped me up, I pushed him away

condescending damn tree







14
moon over the west river 3

the ten thousand things
clouds and smoke passing
the hundred year willow
soon withers away

the best thing for now
after drinking and talk
sound sleep with myself
see what I’ve to say

the government levies taxes
and promptly, to pay
the tax collectors too
and soldiers, bean counters
bureaucrats all shades
and all sizes
offices full of them
they make quite a crew

myself? I’m here to look
after the mountain, streams
water falling and green
green bamboo






15
partridge sky 1

after singing farewell
tears score my face

neither sorrow nor joy
leaves me now

a storm above the river
just drifts

official rank is no big deal
eat up, eat up I say

water in courses
rises to heaven

so much hatred
hear clash of steel

in the blue above
all souls meet one day







16
partridge sky 2

soft mulberry
just beginning to bud

the silkworm grows
by eastern light

short grass
just tufting

the yellow cow’s moo
sun sets on the forest

turns crows
into night

mountains far greet now
mountains nearby

a green flag shows
where wine’s to be had

in the city students
suffer so many ways

the shepherd’s purse
holds just this one meal

but by its power
spring stays






17
partridge sky 3

a million pearls
spat from these falls

yellow and squirrel
suslik, polatouche

treacherous paths
keep all on their toes

stop to tune into
their conversation

that’s when you’ll hear
no one’s home

bridge centres the view
pagoda’s far off

along the southern stream
I walk with my stick

with my grass shoes
grow old

in my cosy hut’s
bamboo grove






18
partridge sky 4

when I was young
I waved a flag
to lead a thousand soldiers

horse too
how my men
fashioned arrows
of silver
at night

they brought
down the moon

now the enemy owns it
now I come back
I’m nobody

now
thinking of the past
how one
sighs to be neglected

spring won’t bring back
the black to my beard

you can’t imagine
the tracts I wrote
on tactics
for this country

in return I’m given
this poor field
bent mattock
and some weather-worn tome
titled ‘how to grow tree’





19
bridge of magpies

stay on the pine hill
keep out of summer

stay in this hut
to keep out of the rain

I don’t remember
how many times I’ve come

and drunk watched the waterfall
clung to my rock

this is where
I sober up

*

the eastern family
found a new wife

the daughter of the west
found a man

so much laughter and light
by the gate

the fragrance of
a thousand flowers

the heart sings heaven’s thanks
this night breeze






20
Spring in the jade pavilion

sunset all along the river
lights the grass and lights the trees

a thousand years
six dynasties

o deeply one cares for the rise and the fall
of kingdoms and countries

the egret’s call –
sandbank to lazy sandbank

brings tears
better to put aside duties and fears

brush the dirt off of clothes
go home in the autumn