21

a young king

where can I look to the north?

from a splendid pavilion

how many dynasties rise and then fall?

history swift as the Yangtze

a young king with his armoured host

held the southeast, fought without respite

only two of the empire’s heroes could match him

Cao Cao and Liu Bei

give me a sun like Sun Quan instead

22

bright the moon shines

bright the moon shines upon the pavilion

the courtyard full of olive scent

autumn here now, who climbs high feels sad

let us pour plenty of wine

watch the dance

wind and rain will only bring worries

23

New Year coming

everyone busy with the New Year coming

flowers and blossom all fall

earth turns, sun spins – mere decoration

no one remembers the past

before Spring comes

are we wise not to ask

whether flowers will bloom early this year

wind and rain won’t be predicted

let’s drink to the coming New Year!

24

poems for the Spring

1

Spring has come, the feast almost on us

wind and rain paint the fields

the poet’s brush to set all down

people pass through the willows

butterflies through flowers

silkworms newborn in the mulberry trees

with poems and wine I busy myself

who knows whether cloudy or sunny by morning

whether the weather is with us or not

all sober fools will be good for a laugh

2

a Spring wind blows out

last cobwebs of winter

then by the brazier we dwell

warm in our hutch

sweet dreaming

under the roof

under rain

25

a spray of plum blossoms

drunk on my mountain top

in a green mist

the day is cold

leaving is nigh

I ask the plum if she knows

will it snow

last time here were heavy drifts

now the willows all hang low

green grass abounds

blackbirds beg the Spring to stay

26

a drunk’s dream

drunk

I light the lamp

to look at the sword

on my waist

waking

I remember the dream

full of the enemy’s wild horns

and ours

beef and grog had been given the men

with every kind of instrument

they worked themselves

up in a frenzy

at the roll call

they were all ready to fight

our horses ran as fast as dragons

our arrows flew like thunderbolts

how famous all of us were to be

how white my hair on waking

27

the trouble with parting words

when I was young – easy goodbyes

now I can’t stand this writing farewell

see the wild geese

send winter south

like a note tied

under their legs

the plum blossom helps

to make longing less

so many rivers and mountains

birds skirt

the journey endless

among the old clans

no need to see me off with a flag

just light me a lantern

mid-Autumn, New Year

28

maudlin thoughts come to naught

don’t be so sad thinking of home

the emperor wants you to write a new poem

growing old having done so little – that’s tragic

no use relying on poetry’s magic

leaning green on the mountain

one worries how to make a living

there’s singing and dancing when we are young

white heads spill ink on what was once sung

29

falling petals

the yellow warbler

the purple swallow

fly singing

of some pretty thing

not for our ears to understand

spring and the season

of rain is upon us

the rain thuds by

my tiny window

tonight a wind

to tend these clouds

to blow the moon

back home