AGAIN. I LOVE IT BECAUSE THE DREAMING MAIDEN HAS PICKED A NAME ON IT WITH HER NEEDLE, AND BECAUSE THAT NAME IS MINE. [Chan Tiu-lin]

AN UNHAPPY TIME

THE HOURS PASS.... THE PHOENIX FLIES AND FLIES FROM HOME. STARLINGS AND SPARROWS BUILD THEIR NESTS IN THE ALTAR OF OUR ANCESTRAL HALL. MAGNOLIAS REACH OUT THEIR TENDRILS.... THE JUNGLE SEIZES THEM, THEY PERISH ENTANGLED. RANCID SMELLS DRIVE OUT SWEET FRAGRANCES. EVERYWHERE THE EVIL PRINCIPLE HAS DISPOSSESSED THE GOOD.

THIS IS THE TIME OF BADNESS.... LOYAL, BUT IN DESPAIR, I BEGIN MY JOURNEYS OF EXILE. [Chu Yuan]

THE SHADOW OF A LEAF

ALONE IN HER ROOM A GIRL EMBROIDERS SILKEN FLOWERS. SHE HEARS A FLUTE AFAR. SHE SHIVERS ... DREAMING A YOUNG MAN IS SINGING TO HER OF HIS LOVE.

FROM THE SUNLIGHT SLANTING THROUGH THE PAPER WINDOW, THE SHADOW OF AN ORANGE-LEAF FALLS ON HER BREAST. SHE CLOSES HER EYES ... DREAMING A YOUNG MAN’S HAND IS OPENING HER ROBE. [Ting Tun-ling]

A LOYAL WIFE

YOUR LORDSHIP, I AM GRATEFUL FOR THE TWO PEARLS YOU OFFER ME, BUT I TREMBLE WITH UNCERTAINTY. WHAT SHALL I SAY?... I SAY TO YOU: I AM MARRIED AND HAVE SWORN TO BE FAITHFUL TO MY HUSBAND.

PERHAPS YOU DO NOT KNOW THAT THE COLORS OF MY FAMILY HANG IN THE ROYAL PARK? PERHAPS YOU DO NOT KNOW THAT MY HUSBAND IS HONORARY LANCER IN THE PALACE?

I THINK YOU ARE SINCERE; I THINK YOU ARE HONORABLE. THEREFORE I HAVE PUT YOUR PEARLS AGAINST MY ROBE, AND I HAVE LOOKED AT THEM, AND SMILED. BUT TAKE THEM NOW AGAIN. PERHAPS YOU WILL TAKE THESE TWO TEARS AS WELL?

AH, WHY DID I NOT KNOW YOU THREE YEARS AGO THIS SPRING? [Tchang Tsi]

THE EMPEROR WALKS

RECLINING IN THE GOLDEN CHAIR THE SON OF THE SKY IS BRIGHT AMONG HIS COUNSELORS. HIS JEWELS SHINE.... HE IS FULL SUN WITHIN SURROUNDING STARS. THE COUNSELORS SPEAK GRAVELY OF GRAVE THINGS, BUT THE EMPEROR’S MIND IS AWAY, AWAY.

IN A PAVILION ALL PORCELAIN SHE SITS AMONG HER MAIDENS ... BRIGHT LILY AMONG PLAIN LEAVES. HER FAN FLOATS BACK AND FORTH WEARILY LIKE A WAVING LEAF. HER LORD STAYS TOO LONG AWAY.

PERFUME IS ON THE BREEZE ... AN OPEN WINDOW IN THE COUNCIL-ROOM. THE EMPEROR DREAMS: SHE IS FANNING ME THE FLAVOR OF HER LIPS. HE RISES, GLITTERING WITH JEWELS, AND SLOWLY WALKS, WALKS TO THE PORCELAIN PAVILION. THE GRAVE COUNSELORS ARE LEFT, LOOKING AT EACH OTHER IN SUDDEN SILENCE. [Tu Fu]

THE ENCOUNTER

THEY MET. THEIR EYES MET IN SHINING DUST AT THE CAPITAL. HE RAISED HIS RIDING-CROP IN GOLDEN GREETING. “OF ALL THOSE TEN THOUSAND HOUSES BY THE WILLOWED RIVER, FAIR SWEET LADY, WHICH IS THE LITTLE ONE YOU CALL HOME?” [Li Po]

THE BREATH OF SPRING

THE BREATH OF SPRING IS EVERYWHERE, IN EVERY FACE. THE MIMOSA CASTS ITS DELICATE SHADOWS ... MY DREAMS ARE BUTTERFLIES ... THE FRAGRANCE OF THE QUINCE INTOXICATES LIKE WINE.

BUT I PLUCK THE WILLOW OF SORROW. A GULF DIVIDES US, AND THERE IS NO FAIRY BRIDGE OF BIRDS TO CARRY ME ACROSS.

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