 Preface, Introduction, and Translators' Poem, from Gems of Chinese Verse, poems by various authors, translated by W. J. B. Fletcher. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. If you would like more information or would like to volunteer, please see LibriVox.org. Preface What Keith said to Chapman did for Homer is what Fletcher has done for the poetic realm of Old Cathay. There is a freshness and a surprise in these lyric gems. They have been read with keen joy. Having finished, then felt I like some watcher of the skies when a new planet swims into his can. I'm no sinalog and cannot vouch for the accuracy of the translations, but I know this is true poetry. So well has the work been done that I am sure thousands of readers of the Occident, as well as of the Orient, will rejoice with me over the production of this book of verse, and there will be calls for more from the author. H. L. Hargrove, PhD, from Yale. Kai Feng. April 1, 1918. Introduction It is not without diffidence that I bring before the public, this little collection of verses. A translation can never equal the original, any closer than pace can imitate the real gem, and this is particularly true of poetry, wherein the cream and essence of a language finds its highest and most ethereal expression. The flower we can draw to its coloring art can approach, but who can delineate its scent, and thus it is with these translations. I have usually followed closely the original forms of the poem, frequently keeping their meter, but fear that I have lost much of their nuances and fragile delicacy. But indeed the subject is a difficult one, and I shall be repaid for the labor if the average foreign resident in China can glean from my sifting some further insight into the heart and feelings of the Chinese. If Chinese feel that their masterpieces, even in copies, find interest among their neighbors from far countries, sympathy is the bond of human union. The following translations are all from the Chinese poetry of the Tang Dynasty, 618-905 A.D., and it is not a little creditable to Chinese civilization that such refinement of thought should be current at a period when the ancestors of Europe were overrun by German barbarians, and this gotch had perhaps hardly abandoned cannibalism. The poems are essentially sketches of nature, written by true lovers of China's grand scenery, amid ruins of famous dynasties and the memories of immortal beauties. A strain of Buddhist mysticism adds in places its longing for the unseen, the unseeable. When finds in them the sun, the moon, the stars, and the wind on the heath, brother, there is no clatter, noise, steam, or hurry. The authors float in sailing sandpans, noiseless save for the rippling beneath the prow, through scenes peaceful and calm. With the white clouds pouring like icing down the mountainsides, the gulls and herons gliding white against the sky, the low boom of a temple gong and some tree-hidden glen, the quiet labors in the plains below, the village smoke curling upward in the temple of nature as placently as incense spirals about some Buddha's knees. All combined here to form China's great ideal, great charm. Peace. The very poems on the subject of war dwell only on its discuss. There's no girding up of the loin's display. No enthusiasm for destruction. No great greed for wealth or possessions. No social distinctions of caste. There's just human life portrayed in terms of nature. For in the Chinese language there are practically no abstract nouns, and for such the Chinese has borrowed terms from his one great master, nature. This love is typified by spring with its wealth of bursting flowers and sweet stirrings of the sap. Old age growing upon us by autumn with its falling leaves and sear complexion. Such allegories I have marked with capital letters that the readers I may catch them the sooner. Let him, if he can, imitating the poets of old, float quietly down the broad waters of the Yangtzee through the scenery of the Min or over the rapids of the Kasia River. Let him in some lone temple see the moon rise over the tree-fringed hills. Let him, like Manfred, seek the iris of the waterfall or dream amid the relics of some fallen town. Then he will know the value of the Tang poetry. There will he find peace. To li po and tu fu. Li po and tu fu, pardon that I come, Loen nature's pilgrim from a foreign shore. With you across the misty hills to roam and see the dragons carry you once more, to peaks aflame with sunset, To adore in nature's shrine as ye will want of your, to see the iris rise the torrents foam and ruins where high magins stood before, the moonbeams glinting on the broken dome, while some shrill flute the fallen times deplore. Forgive the humble heart and feeble thought, the faltering fingers that the echo wrought of your sweet woodland lore. W. J. B. Fletcher, Fu Chow, 1917. End of preface, introduction, and translator's poem. The Old Pavilion by Li Po, translated by W. J. B. Fletcher, read for liprevogs.org by Kevin S. Where once the ancients said farewell, A sadness on the scene will dwell. Where Portugues, the moon is bright, Our torrent bathes their hills in light, The lake flowers bloom in sunny spring, The bamboos nightly autumn sing. We're past and now together met, Within my song shall linger yet. End of poem, this recording is in the public domain. Return with Spring by Li Po, translated by W. J. B. Fletcher, read for liprevogs.org by Kevin S. Fine as the lines in verdant jade Obsprouts the grass of yen, Their growth long winter has delayed, And thou thou comest when. The mulberries of chin, lo, droop Their branches verdant with new leaves. Waiting the picker's hand, they stoop, As I await, ah, waiting grieves. The spring has come, and thee The thought of home returning too should spring. My heart is yearning, Not for naught is hope nor bitterness to bring. The east wind knows me not, Yet blows amist my meshed curtain's gauze. Is it for you the way it shows, Not breathing aimless, lacking cause? End of poem, this recording is in the public domain. The Lights of the Palace by Li Po, translated by W. J. B. Fletcher, read for liprevogs.org by Kevin S. Born through melted snow appears the blossoms of the plum, And to the tender willow leaves The vernal breezes come, When in the halls the orioles With joy delirious sing. As from the caves the swallows Greed each home returning wing. With closing of the evening dim The festal flares with light, Where to the whirling dancers Limbs fresh flowers add, Beauty bright, before the shadows of the night The solemn guards retire, And all the lovely scene Disalls in satisfied desire. The fragrant breeze is pleasant In the pictured silken doors. The glow of dawn is sweet and fresh Across the window's gauze. The flowers press up their happy cheeks, The beaming sun to view, While by the shady lake Each leaf the spring is glossing new. Amidst the verdant trees I hear The birds their carols sing, As o'er the harem's floor The maids' light steps and dances ring. The plum, the peach flower, Moon Unite the consort's bower to grace, And in each soken robe Dissolve their colors find a place. The color of the willow trees Is soft as ply and gold. The pear trees, too, Their fragrant flowers and snow-white bloom unfold. The stately mansion holds a nest To suit the housey unbright Within its lordly halls The birds of love their hearts unite. A chosen bevy Serve about the prince's carven chair, Fill when bid the thrilling room With song and music rare. But should you ask, Preferred of all who rules this proud array, I'd answer that in Chow Yen Court Supreme is Faye Yen's sway. End of poem. This recording is in the public domain. On the Frontier by Lee Poe, translated by W. J. B. Fletcher, read for LibriVox.org by Kevin S. Tis June and still on Altai There lies the bitter snow. Amid the chill of winter No happy flowers grow. Although the wailing flute May sing the whittle of the spring, The color of the vernal leaves This place can never know. The kettle-drama daylight Calls forth to war's array. In midnight's sleep Our saddles we dare not put away. This cursed tyrant Lu Lang Who us to death would bring With this good blade within my belt How gladly would I slay. End of poem. This recording is in the public domain. On the Frontier by Lee Poe, translated by J. B. Fletcher, read for LibriVox.org by Larry Wilson. The pillagers of the autumn brings down to loot the land From homes celestial gather Our armies band by band. The leaders split their tallies To make war's orders yearn. The warriors sink to slumber on coils Of drifted sand. The very moon of heaven Is bended like a bull. Upon our swords mongoling Frosts their silver tracery sow. The time is long ere we at last Within the wall shall fare. Ah, sigh not, little wife of mine, So mournfully and low. End of poem. This recording is in the public domain. Absence by Lee Poe, translated by W. J. B. Fletcher, read for LibriVox.org Our slender moon in quiet wanes away Around me dully floods the washing bar Nor drops the wind long autumn from its wings While all my heart is at the frontier far Ah, one will all our foes be beaten back And, my dear husband, finish distant war. End of poem. This recording is in the public domain. The Wives Lament by Lee Poe, translated by W. J. B. Fletcher, read for LibriVox.org by Sonya. The Wives Lament On Yenchi Hill the sea leaves quid the tree This tower I mount to gaze abroad for thee The sea's white clouds are broken on the hill As autumn grows in loneliness over me In Gobi's waste the Mongol hordes prevail Back to the wall the sons of China trail The guest of battle there his blood shall spill Ah, me, snapped orchid with my lonely wail End of poem. This recording is in the public domain. The Crows that call by night by Lee Poe Translated by W. J. B. Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org by Sonya. The Crows that call by night Through dusty clouds beside the wall The Crows come home so late And calling fly from bow to bow As each one seeks her mate The lonely wife was working her silk and tapestry Her window-gall seems missed to her They are calling words of fate Her shuttle stops, she sadly dreams of her dear absentee Her dripping tears confess She feels the house how desolate End of poem. This recording is in the public domain. Our Parting at Kinling Inn by Lee Poe Translated by W. J. B. Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org by Sonya. Our Parting at Kinling Inn With incense from the willow flowers The sapphire fills the inn. A rustic beauty bates the wine And tempts the guests to taste. All Kinling friends come hither To speed each other haste. Those leaving and those staying All make the goblet spin. If any parting constant As his he ever knows. End of poem. This recording is in the public domain. Chang Liang by Lee Poe Translated by J. B. Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org by Larry Wilson. Before your tiger roar was heard Your house was sold, a home no more. Bestialed by failure undeterred You sought along the purple shore Until a bravo stout you found At pole-long sands to smite the ground The tyrant chin. Though to avenge the haunts You failed, beneath that stroke The empire reeled. You then in pay your traces veiled Wherefore long years you lay concealed. If neither craft nor valor might The conflict win for freedoms right Not thine the sin. I come upon the bridge of Eid Dreaming old dreams of long ago Admiring your nobility. But only see the waters flow Still green beneath the bridge they race Him of the yellow stone no trace Has left to me. Sine I say, This man no more No su or su Today can show Now he is gone. How desolate the barren shore. In the poem, this recording is in the public domain. The Feast of Life by Lee Poe Translated by W. J. B. Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org by Sonya The Feast of Life See as thou not the yellow river Coming from the sky Downward to the ocean flowing Never turning back How thy hair to gray's growing Sadly in yon mirror's spy Snow at eve that but this morning Show'd so glossy black. Would you taste this life so fleeting Quickly snatch at every boon Leaving not the golden goblet Glinting empty to the moon. Heaven has given me these talons Yea, and gave them not in vain. Lo, a thousand golden ducats lavished Greet the world again. These roasted sheep and oxen Slain for some one make a feast. Our meeting here shall swallow down Three hundred cups at least. Now, friends, the wine is ready. I pretty, no delay. Incline your ears to listen While I sing to you a lay. Of music and dainty Small rec do I make. My bliss to be drunken Never sober to wake. The sages of old have scarce Left us a name. The deep drinkers only record it By fame. When Chenguang of old gave his feast At Pinglor, a gallon of wine Each aroused their acclaim. The host shall never say That too small is his store, But buy it a good vintage And lavishly pour. This gallant bay-charger And fur coat of mine Now let the boy take them And change them for wine. The cares of the ages Away will we scatter And know them no more. End of poem. This recording is in the public domain. Tsungshan by Li Po Translated by W. J. B. Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org by Sonya. Tsungshan Where a slip of moon A. shines Eastward over the pines Where the torrents speak A mansion of eld have eye This Tsungyang's maiden peak. If magic herbs to find You wonder dither, Mind the rosy shoots of the flags. Should we each other seek In life's low eventide, A dragon-white isle ride To yonder sunlit crags. End of poem. This recording is in the public domain. Coming down from Zhongnang by Li Po Translated by W. J. B. Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org by Sonya. Coming down from Zhongnang The dusk descends along the verdant hills Over which the moon our footsteps follows back Gaze up and low The path by which we came Wines up the hill Amid the greenwood track As hand in hand we reach the farmer's home His sleds to us the thorn-wolf-wicked oak The path overhung with bamboo sprays is dim Green creepers at the passer's clothing grope Gladly we say Here is a place to rest The goodly wine in waving circle goes Our song's acts toll the sweet fur-laden air Till ear we cease Each star but dimly glows Drunken am I And you with pleasure too In pure enjoyment Free from human woes End of poem This recording is in the public domain C. She's Wedding by Li Po Translated by W. J. B. Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org by Sonya. C. She's Wedding A Ballad The crows fly back Perching on Ku Su's high tower And flushing with C. She is Wu Wang's rich bower They sang and they danced And they merry-made still When half of the sun sank behind the green hill In golden clapsidra The silver gauge showed How long yet the night Eater-shaded hours fly On the river's low ripples The clear moonlight glowed But oh, what delight When it mounted on high End of poem This recording is in the public domain C. The Huanghou Lu by Li Po Translated by W. J. B. Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org by Sonya. C. The Huanghou Lu A farewell ode to Meng Hao Yan You parted Leaving to the west To Huanghou Lu The mists of spring-in floating veils Descending on yang shu Down the distance faded hands With the yon lonely sail To wear the mournful river's waves Into the skyline flow End of poem This recording is in the public domain The moon shines everywhere By Li Po Translated by W. J. B. Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org by Sonya. The moon shines everywhere Seeing the moonbeams by my couch so bright I thought whorefrost had fallen in the night On the clear moon I gazed with lifted eyes Then hid them Full of home's sweet memories End of poem This recording is in the public domain The boating party by Li Po Translated by W. J. B. Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org by Sonya. The boating party The river clear The autumn moon so bright We pluck the south lake's bridal flowers wide The maiden water lilies seem to speak And tinge with shame Each boat borne one-tenth's cheek End of poem This recording is in the public domain Quitting Po-T at dawn by Li Po Translated by W. J. B. Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org by James White Po-T amid its rainbow clouds We quitted with the dawn A thousand li in one-day space To Qiang Ling are born Here yet the Gibbons howling Along the banks was still All through the cragged gorge Our skiff had fleeted with the mourn End of poem This recording is in the public domain Kin Ling by Li Po Translated by W. J. B. Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org by James White Of Kingdom Six Their state that raised In turn upon each other's fall Libations three when I have made A lay I sing unto you all This garden that has left us now Is smaller than the chins of yore These hills remind of loyang peaks Are like them, but in number more The fleeting party We pluck the south lake In number more The flowers that long ago the woos Had planted by their ancient halls The silks and damasks that the kins Concealed within their palace walls With all their human lovers gone Are all extinct in long decay Old time has washed them to the east Amidst the ocean's waves away End of poem This recording is in the public domain Mr. Yong secluded retreat By Li Po Translated by W. J. B. Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org by James White With verdant heads the crowd of cliffs Are brushing the sky So aimless wandering here One feels not the years go by I burst through the veiling clouds In search of the ancient way Or lean me against a tree While hearing the torrents play The warm spring opens the flowers The fairy ox lies down The white crane sleeps above On the lofty pine tree's crown The river gleams with twilight As now our speech is done Alone I cross the chilly mists Descending with the sun End of poem This recording is in the public domain The Fallen Terrace By Li Po Translated by W. J. B. Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org Fresh elm and willow Barely hide The garden terrace bear The cowthrop pickers singing Thrills The clearer vernal air But ah The moon That once beheld These halls So gaily thronged Upon The western river shines Its sole companion there End of poem This recording Is in the public domain Dongshan Cave By Li Po Translated by W. J. B. Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org By Skip To Dongshan Cave So long I have not been How often have its roses filled with bloom Its silver clouds All pass away unseen Descends Diana there To visit whom End of poem This recording is in the public domain The Lover of scenery By Li Po Translated by W. J. B. Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org By Skip All the birds had flown away One cloud its aimless Circle rain Unwearyed gazing on each other It and Jing Ting Shan End of poem This recording is in the public domain Ages Rhyme By Li Po Translated by W. J. B. Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org Read for LibriVox.org Ah me To make such length Of grizzled hair How many days It grew along with care Indeed, how could In this pure mirror Show the origin Of so much Autumn snow End of poem This recording is in the public domain The Steps of Disappointment By Li Po Translated by W. J. B. Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org By Sonya The Steps of Disappointment The dew forms white Upon the marble stair Our silken socks are damp Ear-night outwear Returning Drop our crystal blinds To see The autumn moon Gleam through them glintingly End of poem This recording is in the public domain Cattle Isle By Li Po Translated by W. J. B. Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org By Sonya Cattle Isle This night And on the western stream Here swims the Cattle Isle Of the sky that stretches mile on mile Within my skiff I float away The autumn moon to view In idle dreams of him Who race to fame a poet knew A lofty strain I too can lift But what will that avail? There is no patron now To hear my heartstrings sobbing wail Our matting sails we raise again To meet tomorrow's sun As from the tree The maple leaves are dropping One by one End of poem This recording is in the public domain The Northern Hall By Li Po Translated by W. J. B. Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org By Sonya The Northern Hall A picture before me The city lies there Seen far from the hills In the dawning's bright air Clear mirrors Two rivers have here their twin berths Two bridges like rainbows That pair on the earth In their orange and pommelow groves They are cold The leaves of the Wootong With autumn grow old Who cares that a loft on this North tower I Yet dream of the ancients The wind has borne by End of poem This recording is in the public domain The Water Pavilion By Li Po Translated by W. J. B. Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org By Sonya The Water Pavilion High through the rainbow air This chamber towering sea While intermingle around Shadow and sunlight clear Splashing above the eaves Leap the waters of Yanxi On Xingting cloudy hill Down from the windows pier The Gibbons howl the sigh Of the wind has led astray To the placid moon above The songs of the fishers soar Free as the seagulls sailing We seem to float away Am I not one of them there That flock on the sandy shore? End of poem This recording is in the public domain Lost by Li Po Translated by W. J. B. Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org By Chad Horner Upon the clouds I gaze And see thy vesture floating fair Upon the flowers I gaze And lo, thy cheek is kindling there The sepher brushing through The stoop thy footfall seems to be The dew so like thy freshness Brings the sense of loss to me Our broken fates nobody Attends, but if on earth we meet no more Await me on that fairy shore Behind those clouds the moon ascends A moulded form Who smooth excess sweet fragrance Clung around A dream of rapture magical That made the pulses bound Her equal in the court of hand As yet had never been What new attire for Yangui Fei To shroud her in the ground Mid-happy flowers, the moon Shrouded by the sun Shrouded by the ground Mid-happy flowers, the loveliest still Is Helen's beauty rare I often had he smile to see Her fairest flower there This breath of balm to dissipate What boundless hate arose The well-remembered arbor floods His heart with scented care End of poem, this recording Is in the public domain To Ho Chi Yin by Li Po Translated by W. J. B. Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org To Ho Chi Yin Though anxious office to resign And private garp resume Your able craft and placid mind Must long the court illume From Mao the Wonders You received the true Arkanas art A home by Tung Ting Lake His grace now grants you to assume The sky is full of stars The mist and shrouds Mount Yao Tai tall The sky is full of stars The mist and shrouds Mount Yao Tai tall From wizard peak high lost In space, young islands Look so small The crane that from the tree of pearls Never lovers to depart Ah, tell me When it next will fly Across the city wall End of poem, this recording Is in the public domain The Autumn Fan By Li Po Translated by W. J. B. Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org By Sandra Schmidt The Autumn Fan Before my hall Sweet flowers perfume to calm And silent night I wish to roll the blinds But ah, I'm checked By springs despite Dimly, guitar beneath my arm The glancing moon I see The wavering colours of the trees Obscure my lost delight End of poem This recording is in the public domain A fruitless visit To the priest of the Tai Tien Hills By Li Po Translated by W. J. B. Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org By Sandra Schmidt A fruitless visit To the priest of the Tai Tien Hills I hear the barking of the dogs Amidst the water's sound The recent rain Has washed each stain From all the peach bloom round At times, amid the thickest cops A timid deer is seen And to the breeze in sparkling seas The bamboos roll in green From yonder verdant peak Depends the sheeted waterfall At noon's full prime I hear no chime of bells From Arbot Hall Wither the wandering priest has gone Is no one here can tell Against a pine I said recline And let my heart o'er swell End of poem This recording is in the public domain A river melody By Li Po Translated by W. J. B. Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org By Sandra Schmidt A river melody With Cornel Ores Our skiff of mountain pair Lightly glances o'er the lapping waters At the bow, a flute of echo fair At the stern, a pipe's melodious air Mingle with the song of beauty's daughters Here are copious flasks of vintage rare Why, then, would we quit this world of care Need we wait to mount some fairy crane? Free as seagulls float we o'er the waters I'd live floating on this shoreless sea The songs of famous singers live as long As sun and moon shall circle in the sky The halls of pride now strewn the hills along Proclaim that every other fame shall die To such rapture, even mighty mountains Stir and sway their weighty bulk again In the fairy islands of the blessed Lives forever each immortal strain I'd live floating on this shoreless sea Lives forever each immortal strain But sooner could flow backward to its fountains Distream, then wealth, and honours Can remain End of poem This recording is in the public domain The Return to Wen Chuan by Li Po Translated by W. J. B. Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org by Sandra Schmidt The Return to Wen Chuan Twelve leaders of the cohorts passed along As ordered stars decked out the skirts of night Beneath the harvest moon, they glittered bright as frost The keen steel of the moving throng Like moonbeams draped over clouds, the banners flew In awe-respectful, every door was shut Through boundless space, the music sounded up The breath of perfect mourn caresses blue In wanton airs around our prints, the good and true End of poem This recording is in the public domain To Have Loved and Lost by Li Po Translated by W. J. B. Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org by Sandra Schmidt To Have Loved and Lost Last night, the wind of spring Laid bare the peach flowers of the well The palace sawed the moon with radiance clear But fell Within his room, the actress made His shifting love had won Without, the silken robe he gave Could not the chill dispel End of poem This recording is in the public domain Soft stillness and the night Become the touches of sweet harmony By Li Po Translated by W. J. B. Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org by Sandra Schmidt Soft stillness and the night Become the touches of sweet harmony From what clear flute unseen These flying trills With which the wind of spring the city fills Amid the strains, the flower is plucked anew In what sweet garden, how my bosom thrills End of poem This recording is in the public domain The Reinforcements By Tufu Translated by W. J. B. Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org by Kevin Hess At dawn the camp I enter by Loy Ying's eastern gate At eve upon the floating bridge I stand to meditate The rays of sunlight glint upon the banner Floating wide, the shrilling wind Enhorses nay's resound on every side A myriad tents and ordered rows are set upon the sand The men each other hailing as each one quits his band A mid-sky high suspended moon is sailing bright This discipline makes desolate the loneliness of night With whalings intermittently and mournful Read pipe sobs, disheartening seem The warriors, no breast with art or frobs For someone now to ask me who made the general be That random guessing I would say Some flaunting cove is he End of poem This recording is in the public domain To Wei Pa of that ilk By Tufu Translated by W. J. B. Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org Like stars that rarely see each other In life we do not often meet What eve is this that brings us now together Where these bright candles greet Our youth, our strength Alas, how soon depart Our beards, our hair, our street with flecks of gray Our friends we visit half have passed away The sudden news catches the thrilling heart How tell that twenty years would first be sped ere I should again enter into your hall For when I left you you were still unwed Lo, now your boys and girls are growing tall Their fathers' ancient friend with pleasure see And once I hither came inquire of me Unfinished question and reply remain Your children come to set the broth and wine Return up fresh cut after last night's rain And steaming rice so fine Then says the host, when shall we meet once more? With goblets ten he pledges me again Ten goblets leave me sober as before So deep my grateful memories him retain Tomorrow by the craget hills disparted Unconscious of each other widely parted End of poem, this recording is in the public domain Hisha by Tufu Translated by W. J. B. Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org As beauty is of all the world admired Obscurity no longer her could hide That mourn a maiden washing by the brook That eve a prince's bride In humble state how different from the rest When fortune came they noted her how rare Attendance then she had to tire her hair And aiding hands arranged her silk and vest Her lord's love sought to aid her beauty fair In all her flaw his tenderness would hide The comrades who were washing by her side Might not attend her in her chariot there When she their busy offices declined To pay that they could not frown like her Repined End of poem, this recording is in the public domain Chen Chao by Tufu Translated by W. J. B. Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org This temple to the north of Chen Chao Walls Is said to be the home of former kings About its age creep moss and slimy things The colors peeling from its empty halls The dew pearl leaves against the moonbeams play The mountain breeze the clouds across it brings The river turns in mere contempt away In eastward from the sullen sorrow flings Where myriad peaks and wildered chaos peer Covered with clouds although no wind be near In rock strewn valley cowers this lonely town Air night the moon will o'er the pass appear In yon far country why so long delay He comes not back who Lu Lan went to slay Across the clouds of dust and mist I stare Whose broken softings brush my face all day End of poem, this recording is in the public domain Unable to visit Judge Wang owing to rain By Tufu Translated by W. J. B. Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org On a houseboat sleeping by the beach aside Moonbeams glinting on the shingle washing tide The sudden gale arises and leaps the faring light The river hisses as the rain comes streaming through the night When dawn awakened the temple bell The sky is full of cloud, the banks are wet And from afar about the hall of rocks A shroud of mist veils floating are As with our sweeps we leave behind the wheeling gulls domain Your virtues I perceive alas I never can attain End of poem, this recording is in the public domain The Runners of Xi Hao An incident of civil war by Tufu Translated by W. J. B. Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org by Sonya The Runners of Xi Hao An incident of civil war The twilight gloomed At Xi Hao Tsunai State Night soldiers brought the inmates to arrest The old man leapt the wall And fled, afraid To meet them issued his old wife distressed Shouted the soldiers' tones in anger strong The woman's voice was broken with her woe I heard her say that her three sons had gone To war at Yecheng They were forced to go That two were dead The last one wrote to say And he in constant jeopardy he wrote Those dead were gone forever Aye, aye, aye With what it choked the words tore up her throat Within the house there now was no one left Only her infant grandson at the breast And his poor mother, thus of all bereft In worn and tattered robe was scantily dressed The poor old soul and feebled aged and worn Through the dark night must with the soldiers go Her enemies, with agitation torn Took cook a meal she hurries to and fro Their voices sound the lengthening hours consume And weeping dies in strangling sobs away The light returns as I in my road resume But sad farewells to that old man I say End of poem This recording is in the public domain The Lost Beauty By Tufu Translated by W.J.B. Fletcher Read for LibriVogs.org by Kevin S. Cut off from all, my beauty only left My gloomy dwelling is a hollow veil I sighing say mid-trees and grass on me What can my parent's goodly name avail Within the wall old days are swept away My brother's lofty rank could not prevail For they are slain, are scattered flesh and bone Unburied lies All left me to bewail The world's desire is overborn by woe The fate of man a candle's flickering light It might be trothed, alas'd The Watan boy has made a lovelier face His heart's delight It's time of flowering the hibiscus nose The birds of love depart not in the night But when he sees his new bride's happy smile The old love sobbing has forgotten quite Upon the hill's pure breast the spring is clear But torbid when the hill it leaves behind My maid returned with food my pearls have bought The flowers I pluck I place not in my hair The cypress leaves my idle fingers bind To this chill air my green silk sleeves are thin Mid-bamboo's tall my fading day declined End of poem this recording is in the public domain A Farewell by Tu Fu Translated by W. J. B. Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org by Kevin S. Chow Fu was shaking his head No longer he wishes to stay Eastward is going to follow the sea and the mist away Leaving to heaven and earth his verse as a monument To fish by the coral trees that grow in the Argent Bay He flies the monstrous route that haunts the marsh In deepest hills The windy scene of early spring The shadowy twilight fills The weaver-maider, cloudy car from lost Atlantis Guides to point through space his wandering Lest fear his spirit chills His essence born in fairyland from once can lightly fly Though mortal reason failed to see wherein the power fly Alas that still he hovers o'er the bitterness of death Yet wealth and honors are but due the rapid sunbeams dry Our prince with kindness to his friends is flowing bounty shares The night was clear, the wine was set before the palace stares The music ceased, imparting sign The moon the banquet lit How many years before from space his message lulls my cares To cavern you, you southward go our friendly po to sea I beg that you will bear to him a greeting kind From me End of poem. This recording is in the public domain The chariots go forth to war by Tufu Translated by W.J.B. Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org Chariots rumble and roll Horses whinny and nay Footmen at their girdle Bows and arrows display Fathers, mothers, wives, and children by them go Tis not the choking dust alone that strangles what they say Their clothes they clutch Their feet they stamp Their crush blocks up the way The sounds of weeping mount above the clouds that gloom the day The passers-by inquire of them But wither do you go They only say, we're mustering Do not disturb us so These fifteen years and upwards The northern pass defend And still at forty years of age Their service does not end All young they left their villages Just registered were they The war they quitted sees again The same men, worn and gray And all along the boundary Their blood has made a sea But never till the world is his Will Wu Wang happy be Have you not heard In Shantung their two hundred districts lie All overgrown with briar and weed And wasted utterly The stouter women swing the hoe And guide the stubborn plow The fields have lost their boundaries The corn grows wildly now And routed bands with hunger grim Come down in disarray To rob and rend and outrage them And treat them as a prey Although the leaders question them The soldiers' planks resound And winter has not stopped the war Upon the western bound And war needs funds The magistrates for taxes press each day The land tax and the duties Ah, how shall these be found? In times like this stout sons to bear Is sorrow and dismay Far better girls to marry To a home not far away But sons are buried in the grass Yawned items waste survey The bones of those who fell before Are bleaching on the plain Their spirits weep our ghosts to hear Lamenting all their pain Beneath the gloomy sky There runs a wailing in the rain End of poem This recording is in the public domain The river's brim by Tu Fu Translated by W. J. B. Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org by Sophia Solaris One day of spring went stealing To Chang'en's riverside An ancient rustic weeping To check his sobs he tried The palace doors are firmly locked Beside the river's brim De Willow's slim and rushes Put forth their green for him He sees again, ah, sadly The rainbow banners play And all the southern garden Reflecting love's array And Yang Kui Fei, the lovely Beside her lover ride Together in one chariot Attending at his side Before the chariot eunuchs Their bows and arrows bear The coarser champs his golden bit She turns her body fair And looking up to heaven With one bright smile she brings From out the clouds a captive of love With beating wings Those eyes so bright, those teeth so white Today where may they be The place her blood defiled her soul Then may never see As eastward through the gorges The shining waters bore So flowing on or stopping These lovers meet no more Ah, man is born for loving My breast is wet with tears With river grass and river flowers If ended all our fears I made our country's twilight The Tatar horseman ride Their dust clouds fill the city The very roads they hide End of poem This recording is in the public domain Homesickness by Tu Fu Translated by WJB Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org by Sophia Solaris Upon the river's whiteness The birds more clearly fly And with the greenness of the hills The flowers more brightly vie Engazing on them all The spring is slowly passed away The day that brings me home again How long will time deny? End of poem This recording is in the public domain Tai Shan by Tu Fu Translated by WJB Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org by Sophia Solaris Of Tai Shan, what can one say? Here Lu and Qi for a freshly their youth retain Here heaven and earth unite Spiritual grace to form As a pole of shade and light It sunders the dusk and dawn Soaring through layers of cloud Its sight of it swells the breast At a glance the eye can view The birds coming home to rest But climbed to the uttermost peak While other hills seem small As the eye or looks them all End of poem This recording is in the public domain Duke Wu's Temple by Tu Fu Translated by WJB Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org by Sonia Duke Wu's Temple The long deserted temple Has lost its red and green Upon these hills all overgrown No passer by is seen Though still resounds the vacant air With Wu Hu's last farewell He rests no more at Nanyang Devotion's closing scene End of poem This recording is in the public domain The music of the spheres by Tu Fu Translated by WJB Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org by Sonia The music of the spheres The flutes that pipe in Qin Cheng Town Confused the light of day Half lost in clouds The river breeze the one half bears away Such music is confined to heaven For spirit ears alone How rarely can mere mortals catch The echoes distant play End of poem This recording is in the public domain Thoughts of Home by Tu Fu Translated by WJB Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org by Chad Horner Thoughts of Home Amid the jade-green willow trees Two golden orioles sing Across the clear blue sky A flight of soaring egrets wing The size of chilly autumn That breath eternal snow From Ormais Lothde Mountain Throughout the casement flow Ah, with that they could take me back The thousand miles and more From hence to home Those goodly ships that anchor at my door End of poem This recording is in the public domain The Crescent Moon by Tu Fu Translated by WJB Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org by Hope Force One The Crescent Moon The Crescent Moon desired to mount on high Its landing course never grew to Orbs Way A little while it peered above the hill Then lost in cloudy sunset passed away The Milky Way no change of color knew No lofty peaks gleamed chiller for its fears The dew that falls so white within the court The flower's cups were full with quiet tears End of poem This recording is in the public domain Recording by Hope Force One To the Moon by Tu Fu Translated by WJB Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org by Hope Force One To the Moon The autumn drawing up along the night Amidst mankind the moon cast shadows bright The toad sinks not amid the Milky Way His elixirs the hair pounds on for a All brings but sorrow to my heart sincere And makes my whitening hair more white appear Over all the earth resounds loud war's alarms Illume no more or moon this traitor's arms End of poem This recording is in the public domain Recording by Hope Force One The Tatar Horse by Tu Fu Translated by WJB Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org by Sonja The Tatar Horse A Tatar Horse from Derbent All slimness, muscle, bone Ears erect like bamboo shoots its fiery spirit shone Hoofs swift as wind that spurn at space In rapid light career fit to be trusted With your life in peril far or near Ah, since a steed like this you own Of such a haughty strength to burst Across a thousand miles were but a journey's length End of poem This recording is in the public domain Pounding the clothes by Tu Fu Translated by WJB Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org by Sonja Pounding the clothes That from the war you would not come Alas, too well I knew And I must scrub the washing stone For autumn's use anew The bitter winter drawing on The month of cold anew And since we parted ah, so long The days so lone and drear To pound these clothes such weary toil Yet how can I refuse Then send them to the wall somewhere Where may you be, I muse My woman's strength is all worn out But not my anxious care Can you not hear the pounding Drop come echoing on the air End of poem This recording is in the public domain The Harvest Moon 15th of 8th's moon by Tu Fu Translated by WJB Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org The flying mirror of the moon Is dazzling in my eyes But broken like a sword My hope that distant home denies I come from wandering over the earth A creeping weed am I I seek the elixir of life But ah, you heaven is high These molly waters one would think Were made of frost and snow While in the woods each feathered bird The piercing moonbeam show Upon the rabbit in the moon I stare, ungazing doubt As though I hope to count The hairs upon his snowy coat End of poem This recording is in the public domain The Waning Moon 16th of 8th's moon by Tu Fu Translated by WJB Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org Last night poured forth The moon's bright golden waves And all shall tell how pure Those autumns do The mountains seem to spread across the earth The milky way flowed past High heaven through Fuel seekers from ravines With songs return Alone float in the town Its woe uplifts From dreams disordered Starts a Fisher boy At midnight's hour Across the stream he drifts End of the poem This recording is in the public domain The fading moon 17th of 8th's moon by Tu Fu Translated by WJB Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org The autumn moon Is rounded still this night At Kieng Tsun I pass my lonely age I roll the blind She yet pours down her light She follows I My staff brought pilgrimage Her piercing beams The hidden dragons now Her radiance wakes I rest In orange groves Stands my thatched bungalow Or purity in this fresh dew Expressed End of the poem This recording is in the public domain The setting sun By Tu Fu Translated by WJB Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org The curtain hooks Were gilt as sunset sank Tide along the torrent's turns To gloom Wafts from green shores Your own garden's sweet perfume The gatherers of fuel Their meal to cook Have stayed their vessel on a sandy bank The shrieking birds That fight to settle there Pull down And all about the garden look A cloud of insects Flying in the air Oh my deelys of wine Who made you so That one deep draught Will scatter all my woe End of the poem This recording is in the public domain The pillar of the south By Tu Fu Translated by WJB Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org Down to the utmost southern verge High dignity has gone The greatest minister Of state Fighting birth on From halls of ceremony Called the glory onward flows How many barbarous nations Greet thy tablet as it goes About you on traveling Yemen But flowery gums exhale As southward bound Through drizzling mist Bears that spring laden sail But ah, alas How can I tell When from the purple sea The destiny of heaven Will send you back again to me End of the poem This recording is in the public domain A boating party by Tu Fu Translated by WJB Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org by Sonya A boating party At sunset it is well indeed To let the shallow go When lepping waves before The breeze along the water flow For here are bamboo thickets green The wanderers to hide And fit this evening air To cool the vested lilies side The youthful prince is splashing Up the water's chilly waves While lily roots with silken threads The lovely maiden laves Tu's company Low over my head An inky cloudlet lours Tissue the rain That bends me over my pants The rain that bends me over my poem Ear it showers End of poem This recording is in the public domain An autumn view by Tu Fu Translated by WJB Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org by Sonya An autumn view Across our view No bounds, clear autumn throes Yet massive shades Along the distance rise Young waters take pure colours From the skies Over young lone town The veiling mist-wave flows The few last leaves The breezes bear away Young hills, though far Behind them sets the sun Ah, why is not Lone crane Thy journey done When all the woods with dizzy Cawings sway End of poem This recording is in the public domain Yo Yang Tower by Tu Fu Translated by WJB Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org by Sonya Yo Yang Tower Long since The fame of Tang Ting Lake I knew At last from Yo Yang Tower Its truth I view To south and east Two countries it divides While earth and sky Swim ever on its tides No friend And no relation here engage This lonely boat My all in sickly age The war-horse tramps the hills Twixed home and me Yay, over this rail My tears fall bitterly End of poem This recording is in the public domain Snow at Chang Sha by Tu Fu by WJB Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org by Sonya Snow at Chang Sha Out of the north The snow is assaulting Chang Sha Its clouds over Hunan Go Where few snows are A myriad homes Makes cold Far born on the gale With scattered leaflets old Where raindrops hail Not grown to flake like flowers Empty of angels' pale Flexid my purse Yet a silver pot May bale credit for wine No one to fetch it Why then I drain off the froth Must I wait again and again Till the dizzy crows Come home to their roosting bowers End of poem This recording is in the public domain A farewell ode by Tu Fu Translated by WJB Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org by Sonya A farewell ode The world is full of battle Why wilt thou ride away Thy friends all weeping round thee Because thou wilt not stay And yet your horse you saddle For young lone city gray The leaves are falling, falling The year is waxing old The mountains and the rivers The frosty snows enfold That parting but of yesterday Taught how they felt of old End of poem This recording is in the public domain The passing shower by Tu Fu Translated by WJB Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org by Chad Horner The passing shower At evening, over the village A sudden gust arose The darkened court, the rain Has soaked in passing by The sun set now, the grass is steaming dry The river's bright reflection On my fair lattice glows My books are all disordered Who else can put them straight? The cup that now is dry Myself can fill again I often hear the whisper That brings the moment's hate Then wonder not if age From into course refrain End of poem This recording is in the public domain The Kindly Rain by Tu Fu Translated by WJB Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org by Chad Horner The Kindly Rain Its proper season knows With gentle spring, eye-borne In fitting hour Along the wind, with cloaking night It goes In moistening, fine and audible It flows The colloids, the mountain paths In darkness hide And lonely bright the vessels Lantern's glower End of poem The geese return By Tu Fu Translated by WJB Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org By Linda Marie Nielsen Vancouver, B.C. They tell me that The geese this spring From far Canton Their journey wing The flowers they see And bid farewell To the warm oceans Southern swell By low-foo hills They sail along Until the melting snow Begone Such things the soldiers' spirits Feel And hopes of home They sadly steal Yet frost and mist From year to year These hills depart Retaining here The geese that never Frost, the lakes where Autumn brings but frost End of poem This recording is in The public domain Dawn by Tu Fu Translated by WJB Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org By Linda Marie Nielsen Vancouver, B.C. In Poteetown The Watchman's Wrap is over For tonight. On Yangtie Hill The dawn grows up From darkness into light Upon the lofty mountain peaks The sunlight glances Chill Below or massed Ranges sleep The night dark cloudlets still Above the river's bank Appears a slowly Gliding sail So clear makes audible Each falling leaflet Frail beside The gate of woven thorn Pass by a pair of deer Ah Could I join your troop To go where fairies linger near? End of poem This recording is in The public domain My reflection by night By Tu Fu Translated by WB Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org By Linda Marie Nielsen Vancouver, B.C. Some scattered grass A shore breeze blowing Light A giddy mast A lonely boat at night The wild flung stars Or hang all Fasty space The moon beams with How By my pen Can I to fame attain Worn out from office Better to refrain Drifting or life And what ensues Am I A seagull floating twist The earth and sky End of poem This recording is in The public domain The pair of swallows Tu Fu Translated by WJB Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org By Linda Marie Nielsen Vancouver, B.C. A pair of swallows startled Me at my Passover meal That to the northern hall Some mud were Bearing for their nest Me doomed till cooler Autumn come Rest until with them I fly away This damp and heat to feel The little ones in The world are born Twix earth and air Their parents here To bear them a weary Journey wing To them above To me on earth May autumn freedom bring Then also I with them Can fly this Bear End of poem This recording is in The public domain The hall of harps By Tu Fu Translated by WJB Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org By Linda Marie Nielsen Vancouver, B.C. That long excess At Mao Ling Had constant sickness Presently Cha Wen His dearest friend he thought Admits the herded world Of men a tavern must He keep Or him as or His hall of harps The clouds of sunset creep The rosettes that their cheeks Made fair The wildflowers yet retain The colors of their Soaken robes Are modern creepers staying But ah the burden Of his song The phoenix seeks his mate No more is heard And feeding hence Left echo desolate End of poem This recording is in The public domain The temple to you By Tu Fu Translated by WJB Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org By Linda Marie Nielsen Vancouver, B.C. Behold the temple To great you, betwixt Two hollow hills The sun slopes down behind it And the breath Of autumn chills Yet orange tree and Pomolos droop Round the lonely halls And dragons, gods of waters Rithe about The ancient walls And all about Each vacant room White misty cloudlets curl As far along the silver sand The river waters pearl By boat by cart By sledge by pile He labored long ago To pierce these distant Hills and guide The triple river's flow End of poem This recording is in The public domain The imperial tombs By Tu Fu Translated by WJB Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org By Linda Marie Nielsen Vancouver, B.C. The girdle ornaments Are chill, of those That serve about the tomb Lost in the chambers Vaulted gloom And there the hall Of state is still When the wind of autumn seer Comes wailing through The palest river The moon or pierce The land of chin Now sloping down Unto the west The dragon pool Comes creeping in The ancient building To invest Another day of travel done We anchor with The setting sun The water clock With dripping clear And then marks out The passing time And in my memory Rise a near Those gardens glittering White with rhyme A thousand miles away, I view The tombs and yellow Hill anew End of poem This recording is in The public domain By Too Foo Translated by W.J.B. Fletcher Read for LibreVox.org By Linda Marie Nielsen Vancouver, B.C. What? Is the mocking bird come? The spring, he comes To say, the spring Is here today All sounds, all words He knows, his feathers Preen how he will He is the scene Bird still Where flowers most thickly screen Difficult to be seen His very Notes deride The top most bows between If out of time He chide, low Slender at your side End of poem This recording is in The public domain Thinking of my brothers On a moonlit night By Too Foo Translated by W.J.B. Fletcher Read for LibreVox.org By Linda Marie Nielsen Vancouver, B.C. The war drum booms All roads are bare One wild goose clangs Tiss autumn there Our nightly doos Hence will be white On our old home The moon is bright Brothers have eye All scattered far Homeless how know If still they are Letters I send But none reply Is this not wars Said tyranny End of poem This recording is in The public domain The brides lament By Too Foo Translated by W.J.B. Fletcher Read for LibreVox.org By Linda Marie Nielsen Vancouver, B.C. Where choked With hemp and weeds The daughter grows It lowly creeps And hides its drooping head Your daughter better To have cast away Beside the road Than to a soldier wed As your young wife I dressed my maiden hair Yet had not time Alas, to warm your bed At twilight married Dawn brought Sad farewell Short hours of hurry That too quickly fled Howing indeed Is not so very far That frontier post To which your steps are sped But how can I Before your parents serve Or yet our marriage Writes are finished Both day and night My parents kept retired My tender life until The maidens do The time arrived That I should married be Then my old pets Accompanied me too Beside the realm of death You live on me My heart is rung With anguish And with rue In hesitation trembles All my frame And yet I swear I long to go with you Upon our recent marriage Do not dwell Set all your heart Your duty stern to do For if your wife Were with you in the host In vain I fear Would arms or glory Sue Ask that I Of humble parents born Too long have tender silk And samite worn My thoughts no more Can silk or samite sway As my sad tears wash All my ruse away I lift my eyes To see the birds that fly Both great and small All paring in the sky All human things The gales of fate Constraint Ah! Were I only joined To you again? End of poem. This recording is in The Public Domain. Chang Sung By Too Fu Translated by WJB Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org By Linda Marie Nielsen Vancouver, B.C. The sunset reddens O'er the lofty peak The sun steps down The level plain to seek The sparrows twitter On the wicker door Home, yet so many miles Have left me weak My wife and children Start to see me here Surprise scares vanquished Wipes a furtive tear To think that swept By anarchists Think that swept By anarchy away Yet chance returns Me too, each bosom dear. The garden wall With neighbor's heads is lined Each breaster charging Breaks in sighings kind All night beside The candles beam We sit As though in dreams An absence still We pine. This recording is in the public domain. The Firefly by Too Fu Translated by WJB Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org By Linda Marie Nielsen Vancouver, B.C. Born from rotting grasses damp Still the daylight Though must fear On my scroll Thy tiny lamp Scarcely lets The words appear But on strangers' dress From far, shyness thou A tender star Or when, when born On the gauze Of my window Making paws Small thy phosphorescent beam As a fairy's eye Doth gleam From the rain you safely hide In the woodland Undescribed But once November's frosts are chill Thou leaf-like fetus From the hill. End of poem This recording is in The public domain. You Walk Gung By Too Fu Translated by WJB Fletcher Read for LibriVox.org By Linda Marie Nielsen Vancouver, B.C. Return from years of exile Low I find The fir trees groaning In the dismal wind Beneath I know not What lost princes' hall The field mouse burrows In the shattered wall The rooms are dim And baleful corpse Fires glare Or moldering walls And streak the murky air The bamboos are dim And murky air The bamboo sob a note Of piping wail Through autumn's gloomy damp And misty veil To yellow clay Each lovely maid is turned My foot the sherds Of ointment boxes spurned And where the princes' chariots Once were seen Stone horses now watch Where his tomb has been Upon the grass Upon the grass the singer Now must sit To pour with peers The hoarseness of his song And ponder how to deep Oblivion flit The man who rode the paths Of battle-strong End of poem This recording is in The Public Domain The Milky Way By Tu Fu Translated by WJB Fletcher Read for LibreVox.org By Linda-Marie Nielsen Vancouver, B.C. Often hidden Often bright Clearest on and out of night Sometimes covered with The shroud Of some fleecy streak Of cloud Yet when past Thou dost appear All the night both bright Out thy starry doors Fly the fairies of the sky For we see them Opening, closing As each spirit passes by Thou descendest With the moon Down the high Imperian hill Ah, but thy most Precious boon When thou holdest Breathless still Lest the weaver Might miss Her herd-boy lovers And you will kiss. End of poem This recording is in The Public Domain Flower Love By Wang Wei Translated by WJB Fletcher Read for LibreVox.org Does wonder if my toilet room Be shut If in the regal halls The garden of this spring From smiling flowers To learn their whispered lore End of poem This recording is in The Public Domain Life's Road by Wang Wei Translated by WJB Fletcher Read for LibreVox.org Does time to say farewell My horse I stay The palace moat Is chilled as if with woe Before me stretch Those in grand array Once you with me It were no grief to go End of poem This recording is in The Public Domain Today by Wang Wei Translated by WJB Fletcher Read for LibreVox.org By Chad Horner I had lately removed back To near Mengqian Valley A few ancient trees Some waste willows were left But he who comes after me I yearn for the glories the years have bereft End of poem This recording is in The Public Domain A silent night by Wang Wei Translated by WJB Fletcher Read for LibreVox.org By Chad Horner My idle days are counted By the falling cassia flowers Upon the hills the spring alone Records the noiseless oars At sudden rising of the moon Loud shrieks each forest bird Is often heard End of poem This recording is in The Public Domain The form of the deer by Wang Wei Translated by WJB Fletcher Read for LibreVox.org By Chad Horner So loon seems the hills There is no one in sight there But whence is the echo of voices I hear The rays of the sunset Pierce slanting the forest And in their reflection Green mosses appear This recording is in The Public Domain The moon by Wang Wei Translated by WJB Fletcher Read for LibreVox.org By Chad Horner In bamboo thicket, head Sitting alone, am I First my guitar I strum Then stop to whistle a while Amid the grow so thick No mortal calm me spy But we behold each other Endless in the moon and I End of poem this recording is in The Public Domain The hunt by Wang Wei Translated by WJB Fletcher Read for LibreVox.org The bells of horn are twanging And bitter blows the north As from the town of Wei Cheng The hunters issue forth The hawk's eye gazed keenly Across the prairie dry The snow is gone And lightly the horsemen gallop by To sinly town we sweep along To sinly town we sweep along To sinly town we sweep along To sinly town we sweep along Then back to Xiliou Low Where we shoot the eagle rolls The clouded sunset now End of the poem This recording is in The Public Domain Xiyang Qi Temple by Wang Wei Translated by WJB Fletcher Read for LibreVox.org For Xiyang Qi Temple Seeking foreign near Our cloudy peaks for miles I wandered lone In this old wood No human tracks appear In hills so vast How trace the bells deep tone Huge boulders swallow up The bubbling streams In Xiliou gloom The first, the daylight snare The pools along sing To the twilight's beams Hear meditation rules Each hissing care End of the poem This recording is in The Public Domain Qiang Nan Hill by Wang Wei Translated by WJB Fletcher Read for LibreVox.org Many know, however, That long its masses lie The peaks, from every point of view The melting outlines change In each ravine The light and shade Through many colors range And should you wish A house to find Where you the night may pass They only know Soldier these stream come up To cut the grass End of the poem The law at Chongnan, by Wang Wei, translated by W. J. B. Fletcher, read for LibriVox.org. In middle age I love to walk the path of Buddhist lore, a home I've made these later years on Changnan's frontier whore. As prompt as the mood, I ever come to wander here alone, where all the pleasure that I find is mine and all my own. Some stream I follow to its source, and there I set me down. To watch the clouds came drifting up across the mountains brown. For chance some age-trustic may light upon me there, forgetting time we chat and laugh oblivious of care. End of the poem. This recording is in the public domain, so farewell, and it forever, still forever, farewell. By Wang Wei, translated by W. J. B. Fletcher, read for LibriVox.org. Quitting my horse, a cup with you I drank, and drinking asked you whether you were bound. Your hopes and prospered said you turned you round, to sleep amid the ranges outer ground. You went, I asked no more, the white clouds pass, and never yet have any limit found. End of the poem. This recording is in the public domain. Late summer by Wang Wei, translated by W. J. B. Fletcher, read for LibriVox.org. The vacant hills are fresh with recent rain, the coming autumn threats in evening's chill. Amid the first, the moon peeps in again, bright flashes over the stones each mountain rail. With chat of maids who take their homeward way, they're washing done, the bamboo grows resound, the fissures skiff, the lotus brushes round, the water ripples at the vista and sway. Although the fragrance of the spring be gone, yet nature's lover will may linger on. End of the poem. This recording is in the public domain. A mountain retreat by Wang Wei, translated by W. J. B. Fletcher, read for LibriVox.org. Over against the Changnan hill, she shyly pier'd my roof with thatch. The whole year round, so lone and still, no stranger's hand will lift the latch. Time is my own to idle here. In pebble drills the fish to catch, or quaff a flask of vintage clear, come though and share my simple cheer, when moments pleasure snatch. End of poem. This recording is in the public domain. Waiting by Meng Hua Zhang, translated by W. J. B. Fletcher, read for LibriVox.org. The evening sun the western hills has crossed, the crowd of valleys are in darkness lost. The moon's nights coolness heralds o'er the pine, while rills and breezes pipe their music fine. Those seeking fuel have almost all gone home. The birds are settling in their leafy dome. Beside the pathway all with creepers dressed, my lonely harp is calling you to rest. End of poem. This recording is in the public domain. Springtide Dreams by Meng Hua Zhang, translated by W. J. B. Fletcher, read for LibriVox.org. My Lynda Marie Nielsen, Vancouver, B. C. In springtide's dreams the dawn is sweetly drowned, till everywhere the songs of birds resound. I heard last night the rush of wind and rain, how many flowers have fallen to the ground. End of poem. This recording is in the public domain. Springtide Dreams by Meng Hua Zhang, translated by W. J. B. Fletcher, read for LibriVox.org. My Lynda Marie Nielsen, Vancouver, B. C. Night though it be, or the waters of Sayang, to cross by the faerie the traveller longs, he knows by their fragrance the pear trees in blossom, that some gather lilies he knows by their songs. By lights on the shore is the bold helmsman steering. The fisher boy sleeps in the mist on the lake. The voice of those passing is heard in the darkness. To Sen Yang I pray you, which way should we take? End of poem. This recording is in the public domain. On June 2, City Wall by Tu Wei, translated by W. J. B. Fletcher, read for LibriVox.org. By Lynda Marie Nielsen, Vancouver, B. C. At eve the wanderer climbs the wall beside the river's brim. The wall upon the bound of heaven, where all looks wildly dim. The eyelets float almost awash upon the vernal tides. The male and female rainbows, a dying shower, divides. A distant bird, a lonely sail, a far off I can see. The rising mist curls close, beneath a solitary tree. The hills beside my native place I cannot view all right. Those ranges west of Q. Ang Ling have cut them off from sight. End of poem. This recording is in the public domain. The pear tree by the side door, by Tu Wei, translated by W. J. B. Fletcher, read for LibriVox.org. By Lynda Marie Nielsen, Vancouver, B. C. Thy beauty pure outmocks the driven snow. About our robes thy wafted fragrance clings. The breath of spring has never ceased to flow. Towards the palace steps thy scent it wings. End of poem. This recording is in the public domain. Per eant etem rune, by Chen Zhe Zeng, translated by W. J. B. Fletcher, read for LibriVox.org. By Lynda Marie Nielsen, Vancouver, B. C. There to the south, from the Q. C. N., a far off, behold, is a tower of gold. The place of the yin, the wild birds ken, where the masses of foliage lie fold on fold. This is Tu Xiao Wang, who rolled of yore. His plans of conquest are now no more. The horse that I rode, I gain, bestowed, and returned by the way that I came before. End of poem. This recording is in the public domain. By Chen Zhe Zeng, translated by W. J. B. Fletcher, read for LibriVox.org. By Lynda Marie Nielsen, Vancouver, B. C. Late, late, and gray day darkens into eve, while trembling in the birth of autumn air. The flower of life is shaken till it falls. And what of all the hopes we formed, so fair? End of poem. This recording is in the public domain. Qi Yu Ha, Quan, in Spring. By Chen Zeng, translated by W. J. B. Fletcher, read for LibriVox.org. By Lynda Marie Nielsen, Vancouver, B. C. Yon Fairy Tower of Puris Jade, how many ages new? From Tan Qi Yu Hill, far off it seems to melt away from view. The torrent seemed to mingle with the sunlit cloudy sky. The roofs of leaf-hung arbors are lost in mist on high. And trees a thousand winters old, the snow-white heron leaps. One hundred feet in rainbow shape the bridge spans o'er the deeps. In such a place might still be met some elfin sage of old. Upon the path of heaven I sit, his coming to behold. End of poem. This recording is in the public domain. The Grass by Po Chu Yi, translated by W. J. B. Fletcher, read for LibriVox.org. How densely thick the grass upon the plain, decay and splendor one year to it brings. The corpse fires burn it down, but all in vain, with each new breath of spring it lives again. Its fragrance creeps across the ancient ways, its sunlit verdure o'er the ruined strays, its growth speeds nature's lover on his ways, with wild farewells its long, luxuriant rings. End of poem. This recording is in the public domain. A Mist Sketch by Po Chu Yi, translated by W. J. B. Fletcher, read for LibriVox.org. by Linda Marie Nielsen, Vancouver, B. C. Beneath the furs the lad to me replied, My master has but gone to simple's seek. He said, he climbed this nearest mountainside. Then with a pause he added, gazing wide, The clouds are dense, he's hidden in the wreak. End of poem. This recording is in the public domain. The Pond by Po Chu Yi, translated by W. J. B. Fletcher, read for LibriVox.org. by Linda Marie Nielsen, Vancouver, B. C. Her shallop small the little maiden rose, with stealthy hand the water lilies white. She comes to pluck and bear away, nor knows how to conceal her traces. See there goes her track across the floating duckweed light. End of poem. This recording is in the public domain. A Night on the Chai Pan Hills by Shen Shuang Shi, translated by W. J. B. Fletcher, read for LibriVox.org. Wander many a league and far the Chai Pan Peaks are my inn tonight. The moon of the hills my window fills, and the milky way at the door is bright. The spring tide sends each verdant dome, the cuckoo calls in the night so clear. The wanderer's sleepless lies to hear how the morning cocks crowed loud at home. End of poem. This recording is in the public domain. The Old Retired Official by Shen Shuang Shi, translated by W. J. B. Fletcher, read for LibriVox.org. Now the world is all behind me, never comes its echo here. On the graveyard staff support it, from the hills I see the farmers, till the fruitage of the year, should a passer search to find me, let him, like the man of yore, follow up the murmuring brooklet till he see the flowering peach tree standing by the cottage door. Lost am I in lonely valleys, like to him who culling simples in the forest gloomy alleys entered to return no more. Here like travelers the people, not like cheery neighbors greeting, ask each other's names on meeting, bird to bird from tree to tree pipes, who art thou that callest me. Though I wander still in lone, lonely must my pleasures be. Sorrowful and shamed I moan, that lack of talent exiles me. End of poem, this recording is in the public domain.