xix-01 i answer a poem from underdistrict judge tan
xix-02 i thank underdistrict judge yu wen for his gift of a cylindrical book holder made of tao zhu
xix-03 the story of my stay in east lu during the fifth month
xix-04 early autumn in the south tower of shan fu xian
xix-05 answering why in the mountains
xix-06 a friend gave me a black silk hat
i thank him with this verse
xix-07 a letter of thanks i send to subprefect zhang, for the ink he sent me
xix-08 in answer to the question “who is li tai bo?”
posed by sub prefect ka’yapa of hu zhou
xix-09 in response to a poem sent to me by cui shu feng, the subprefect of chang an
written about his trip to the cui wei monastery on zhong nan mountain
and tthe source of the gold sands of emperor tai zong
xix-10 in response to a poem by the chamberlain cui zong zhi, fifth of his clan
xix-11 i answer yuan dan qiu, a poem instead of a letter
xix-12 at the bronze horse gate of the imperial court, in reply to young master su
xix-13 in thanks for the poem “in the snow” which subprefect wang from fang zhou and corrector yan the cabinet officer devoted to me
xix-14 i thank the court scribe of zhong du xian who suprised me at the inn with a cask of wine and two fish
xix-15 in thanks for the poem from qing zhang “spending the night in nan ling xian”
xix-16 cin xun wanted to see me, so he and yuan dan qiu, his drinking partner, got drunk together and sent a poem inviting me to come visit. this response is my thanks for the invitation.
xix-17 in thanks for the gifts from my cousins yo and cheng, who came to visit me in my solitude in xi yuan
xix-18 in gratitude for farewell poems of censor wang and the lord song ci, inspector of the temple of the late prince hui zhuang
xix-19 in thanks for the poem of the censor pei, “in the rain i complain about adverse affairs”
xix-20 in thanks for the poem from censor cui cheng fu
xix-21 i enjoyed the moonlight to the west of nan jing in the wine shop of sun chu while playing music and singing until the morning. the next night, wearing my fur coat with the purple embroidery and my black silk scarf, i went with some drinking companions singing songs as we traveled down the qin huai river as far as shi tou cheng where we visited censor cui, fourth of his clan
xix-22 on the banks of the river, in response to a poem by district judge cui of xuan cheng
xix-23 i thank my nephew zhong fou, a buddhist priest, for bringing me “genius table” tea leaves from the yu quan monastery
xix-24 in thanks for the poem from the censor pei, “i reflect on the time the priest jiu played his qin”
xix-25 in answer to minister zhang hao
xix-26 while intoxicated i answer the poem of ding, 18th of his clan, wherein he scoffed at my words, “i would like to smash the yellow crane tower”
xix-27 i answer the invitation of censor pei who reached the post office shi tou after we had separated, and from there sent me a letter of invitation to share with him the full moon on lake dong ting
xix-28 in response to a poem by hermit gao, i send these verses to count chuan and count gu
xix-29 in response to a poem about wu song mountain the bachelor du sent me
xix-30
xix-31
xix-32
i answer a poem from underdistrict judge tan
you will not long remain in your subordinate position
for you like mei fu possess the genius of the immortals
but you must take care to protect yourself from vanity
think only of the glib tian qian qiu laughing at barbarians
your brave heart is humbled by the yellow sash of your lowly position
so you speak grandly of an independent life spent in retirement
yesterday i read your poems on the jing and xian mountains
and they reminded me of the works by yun meng and han shui
but remember i am an old man arriving at the evening of his life
who fears that he cannot keep up with you younger, fiercer horses
murphy passing his baton to the anchorman
i thank underdistrict judge yu wen for his gift of a cylindrical book holder made of tao zhu
the surface of the book container has wonderful carvings
the artist has show a truly exceptional skill
bamboo the color of the moon reflected on the three rivers of zhe giang
the wood showing rows of rainbow colored stripes
inside one finds a magnificent book of daoist teachings
i plan to take this with me when i travel far to o mei mountain
murphy always leaving more than he takes
the story of my stay in east lu during the fifth month
in memory of the old man on the bank of the river
in the fifth month the plums begin their turn to yellow
silk worms are mature, the mulberry trees leafless
the people of lu appreciate fine weaving
everywhere, everyone treadles their loom
i appear to be unable to fill an official’s position
so i came to shan dong to learn fencing
i urged my horse faster thinking of bold leaders
til the old man on the bank of the river laughed at me
simple people despise a brave man he said
victory or defeat mean nothing to them
should you think yourself equal to lu zhong liam
an arrow hurtling with orders to conquer liao cheng
so now, i would like to head on, straight out west
but the sun is setting and a storm is coming
i think i have given up using words to do battle
i am free to see the world like wind driven thistledown
murphy aburble with water’s way
early autumn in the south tower of shan fu xian
in thanks for a letter from dou gong heng
white dew disappears under the rays of the sun
my rosy face tightens during the time of frosts
it seems only a short time ago that we separated
but the blossoms of spring have long left their branches
looking out to the high crags of tai shan
i see billowing summer like clouds
they resemble vast foaming waves
crashing on the swollen eastern sea
these clouds grow larger and bring much rain
which will come rushing down the water ways
for the approaching curtains of roiling clouds
is colored by a commingling of swirling dust
i know that you sit alone by the green window
as i here think of you, and you think of me
i close the door of the south tower
and turn to read in my daoist books
behind these curtains i live in pure silence
as if taking an examination to become an immortal
no one here is interested enough to seek me out
but your wonderful letter has brought me back to life
murphy denned up in his hermit cave
answering why in the mountains
ask me why i stay in the evergreen forest
and i will smile a soundless ease
up here peach blossoms leave on the water’s flow
up here are no men and heaven near earth
murphy sipping his morning coffee
a friend gave me a black silk hat
i thank him with this verse
you have given me a fine black silk hat
which is much better than my old white one
as a hermit in the mountains i don’t use a mirrot
but the children around tell me it fits just fine
murphy proud of his yellow hat befitting a septuagenarian
a letter of thanks i send to subprefect zhang, for the ink he sent me
carefully burnt spruce charcoal from lu an fu
purified red cinnabar powder from yi ling
orchid oil and animal musk admixtured
the brilliance leaps to seize the eye
a young slave with two topknots brings me ink
hidden in his sleeve, carefully kept in a brocade bag
today i received this gift from you, and will go forthwith
to the orchid pavilion , to ask for wang xi zhi’s calligraphy
then, inspired, i will go to the mountains in gui zhi
there my brush, and this ink, will find my heart
murphy always the young romantic scribbler
in answer to the question “who is li tai bo?”
posed by sub prefect ka’yapa of hu zhou
the layman, qiang lian, blue lotus, is an immortal
who was banished to earth from the heavens
i hid my poetic talent for thirty years in wine bars
why does the subprefect of hu zhou ask who i am
he knows i am the reincarnation of buddha
fresh from his kanakamuni ka’yapa family
murphy treasuring his anonymity
in response to a poem sent to me by cui shu feng, the subprefect of chang an
written about his trip to the cui wei monastery on zhong nan mountain
and tthe source of the gold sands of emperor tai zong
the spirit of huang he met the god of the seas
who boasted with pride of the swollen waters of autumn
the seagod said, a limited man such as you remains ignorant throughout his life
how could you ever understand the interconnectedness of this world
but i understand your lofty aspirations of grandeur
that you alone can walk the blue mountains
though in that ancient region there are many cold clouds
and the wind always blows along the high rock walls
first you climb to the heights of mount cui wei
where you find the source of the gold sands
you walk through the morning dew on slippery moss
you play with the river’s waves under the moon of evening
you drink from clear water rushing over the rocks
you sleep in the canyons under the hanging ivy
you dream of the transparent waters of lake ting he
where the emperor huang di jumped on the back of a flying dragon
you break camp early in the morning to enter zi wu pass
traipsing through mountain paths high in the heavens
you stop to rest on the way and play your qin
you eat your supper listening to monkeys cry in the cold
the smoke of human habitation is no longer to be seen
the almost impassable paths stretch ever onward
you climb the cliff walls hanging in the blue sky
turn to face the west and the dying of the sun
you finally come to the former retreat of the hermit
and there you sing the song of the deep stone pond
striding through the snow you pick the miracle mushroom
you scoop the pure waters with your cupped hands
one can no longer meet the hermit in person
but one can certainly visit the place where he lived
excuse my going on about the beauty of nature
i find it difficult to stifle my desire for quiet places to visit
murphy imagining himself young and discovering the world once again
in response to a poem by the chamberlain cui zong zhi, fifth of his clan
cold clouds from the north build across the sky
out in the wilderness the colors of autumn are seen
at this time the heart of a brave man takes flight
watching the sun set he heaves a drawn out sigh
after a long period of whistling he walks into the wild
the wind picks up and blows even more coldly
fortunately he lives in the time of an illustrious ruler
but the path to acquire merit was not offered to him
what use is it to him to have the essence of greatness in his heart
all that is left for him to do is to bear his grief in solitude
with his whip in hand he searches everywhere for a hero
and after a short conversation with me he knows my nature
you, oh cui, are among the greatest of living men
your accomplishments many, your wisdom deep
your literary works are among the finest
your oratory brings the fire of the spirits
even when your ideas rival the sea or the mountains
you are timely in delivering what you promise
yet when as icy wind blew over the land
you retired to your estate and its beautiful lake
you danced with your long sword for your guests
who were all filled with admiration for your skill
in your state of inspiration you sent me a poem
you said we would meet beyond the boundaries of this world
we will fly together to the blessed island peng hu
where we will bathe together in the blue sea
then we will ascend to the heights of the sun and the moon
and once risen we shall never wish to turn back
in the morning we will visit the heavenly ming guang palace
in the evening we will pass through the gate to paradise
and if we should wish to walk arm in arm now
we should meet in your villa south of giant mount song
murphy mooching on the philanthropic moneyed
i answer yuan dan qiu, a poem instead of a letter
the blue bird came in from over the waters
he knows where to fly back to, tomorrow
he carried in his bill a cloud happiness letter
he gave it to me and waits for my reply
the bird flew down from the purple vapors
and left his letter on the new window sill
i opened the string and laughed full of joy
the letter was news from an old friend
my great good friend has brought me courage
reminding me of his untiring kindness
since he has left me to go to xian yang
i have lived three green grasses in the land of qin
his letter is in my sleeve, i look into the distance
but do so only to check what the weather will bring
i scan the distant horizon, but nothing unusual
fleecy clouds streaming over distant mountains
murphy gossipy as ever with his old friends
at the bronze horse gate of the imperial court, in reply to young master su
the day after you returned from shi men
the summer begins to bring its warmth
spring vegetation still a bit spindly
the mountains fresh colors of green
i was surprised you brought me a flower
embarrassed you had remembered me
being separated for such a long time
i will make sure i meet your expectations
i see the heart of an old friend in the distance
and understand he seeks a life of peace
like the mighty ocean absorbs the hundred streams
the unicorn gallery in chang an accepts worthy talents
i was introduced to court by a report to the throne
and have drunk the wine at the imperial banquets
the emperor put me to shame with his poems of the white clouds
his poem of the yellow bamboo wins my profound respect
the imperial grace noticed my limited abilities, enough to wish
to acquire great merit and be transported past the milky way
to perhaps be engraved on the tripods of the court
yet i wished for the solitude of a small boat and distant waters
i was staying in the palace behind the bronze horse gate
while you rested in the tranquility of the red valley
we weren’t able live together on the islands of the blessed
but here, far from you, i am pleased you are enjoying your hermitage
only one;s like you who do not seek find the true dao
for ones who know, the red water of kun lun mountain is not too far
i want to become friends with the gulls of the eastern sea
or prepare the elixir of life with you in the western mountains
sitting on your exposed rock where you achieve pure contemplation
while i am here, a hibernating dragon, a coiled inchworm
we should be enjoying golden hours together
long drawn out days in determined leisure
birds singing in a nearby canopy of trees
flowers falling on the books near the window
you walk along the gorge within stalks of green bamboo
you peek over to the red water lilies from the mouth of your cave
while picking ferns you laugh out loud and sing
i trust you think long on our love for each other
the moon rises above you sitting in the glassy rocks
pine trees soughing in the wind, rustling strings of the qin
you are in harmony with nature, your heart free and easy
the gravity of the things of the world cannot attract you
if i could forget my body and the world i would follow you
we could grow old on the banks of the misty mountain waters
murphy always interested in a new mystic experience
li bai xix-13
in thanks for the poem “in the snow” which subprefect wang from fang zhou and corrector yan the cabinet officer devoted to me
i wandered from the southeast, from wan
and ended up here in the capital chang an
i floated about for a long time like a witless cloud
and then suddenly turned to the northwest
i sought wang hui zhi and his friend dai kui in vain
as once you did for xi kang before i met you here
my sorrow filled heart was filled with new cheer
after we ate we talked of mutual friends in our past
masten yan has long lived in the imperial court
where he modestly hides his talents and energy
he is highly respected at the gate of the bronze dragon
his glory shines in the halls of the imperial residence
how would i expect to meet him here to talk
in the magnificent guest quarters of master wang
here the snow glistens on distant mountain peaks
though the colors of spring are still locked away
our host is the hope of the black haired people
and he gives me wings to ascend to the sky
if my luck is good i will discard my fishing pole
and become a trusted adviser to our emperor
murphy using the old boys network to the fullest
i thank the court scribe of zhong du xian who suprised me at the inn with a cask of wine and two fish
the wine of the kingdom of lu is amber yellow
the fish of the wen river have iridescent purple scales
zhong du xian is blessed to have its court scribe
he possesses a truly generous character
he gives these goods to this wanderer from the distance
he honors me by bringing them here by his own hand
our hearts are together in harmony
we honor and appreciate each other
the cask of wine and the two fish show his care
the gills and fins of the fish still in constant motion
they sit before me and noisily flap their tails
they try to escape their fate on the white plates
i rinse the sideboard with hot water
and kill the fish with my sharpened blade
red blood flows the color of fresh blossoms
the white flesh of the fish gleams like fresh snow
i take the chopsticks and eat my fill
due to your kindness i also get drunk
i mount my horse, hold firmly to the saddle
and quickly return to my rented quarters
murphy as good a guest as he is a host
in thanks for the poem from qing zhang “spending the night in nan ling xian”
the moon rose from the east in the kingdom of lu
it was white as the snow falling from the sky
the women unsettled by the cricket’s noise
autumn was the time to begin work on their looms
in the night thinking of you, the fire star below the horizon
a strong autumn wind blowing straight from the north
the milky way hanging above the doors and windows
i wished to cross it but i had not the light boat i needed
once i left the woods and hills of my home
i met the emperor as a cloud meets a dragon
the guest star entered the imperial constellation
then one morning he left the palace at lo yang
we recently became friends as once wang rong and li mao yan
more than seven generations of your family served in the han dynasty
you are like zhang liang who hid out in xia pei xian
in your home is a book zhang liang once received from huang shi gong
before emperor wu ding fu yue was yet to have dreamed
he sped himself to the wilderness to find the way
for all time now he rides in the wei constellation
whose brightnesses shower the whole world
we have both seen our good fortune turn to weed
our expansive plans rotten like wet dead grass
we are swords stored in jeweled chests
become rusty and jagged, covered with moss
so now the fools of this world despise us, dust and ash
were we in court it would have no croaking frogs
there are some places i know in the mountains
we could drink our wine from golden cups
murphy a true dreamer of the grandiose
cin xun wanted to see me, so he and yuan dan qiu, his drinking partner, got drunk together and sent a poem inviting me to come visit. this response is my thanks for the invitation.
a yellow crane brought me a message from the southeast
in it you have bared to me your innermost thoughts
i opened the string of the letter leaning against a pine tree
you have thought of me often and you are sick with confusion
you do not think a thousand miles to be an obstacle
so you sent your note and asked me to come to your home
did you meet yuan dan qin halfway and go into the mountains
you would give him a feast up high near the blue sky
you were filled with wine and longing to see me
so your feelings stretched through the clear air to here
so then i knew something of how you were feeling
but perceived only dark clouds blurred over the mountains
then suddenly your letter was here, written on white silk
i ride toward the moon floating over the mountain
at its end will be the steps of your hospitality
i am delighted to see you again to talk
i imagine our sitting under the tree of gems
yes i was thinking about you far away from me
now i am hurry to see you with joy in my heart
i look forward to drinking delicious wine
my happiness at its highest when we get really drunk
my friendship with you is not of the casual sort
and i know your feelings for me go deep within
i look forward to our congenial laughter together
a single evening with you is worth a thousand in gold
i look forward to laughing with you and yuan dan qiu
meeting and talking again with your friend from the mountains
murphy always game for a festive occasion
in thanks for the gifts from my cousins yo and cheng, who came to visit me in my solitude in xi yuan
i enjoy myself here in the solitude of pure independence
it reminds me again of how noisy it is in the wider world
due to ineptitude i retired from serving an illustrious ruler
and always loving the effects of leisure i returned home
you two cousins have found your way to my old valley
and your beautiful carriages are the talk of my neighbors
your garments and swords flashed in front of my house
the pines at my front gate shaded you and your entourage
my young servant from the mountains served fresh fruit
we drank fragrant wine brewed by old country folk
first i described how i cut wood, and fish through my days
i explained my plans for expanding my fields and gardens
yesterday i found lotus flowers in full bloom
today i noticed how my orchids were now rampant
now we laugh, sing, and enjoy the long evening
we talk, get drunk, the details are difficult to untangle
murphy always on his guard when talking to kin
in gratitude for farewell poems of censor wang and the lord song ci, inspector of the temple of the late prince hui zhuang
i have been a student of the dao for thirty years
and became a man in the time of emperor fu xi
my time spent as an official is far behind, memories, a dream
the tall pines of the mountains, though, a steady presence
when we three get together i always imagine
being transported to the island of the blessed
i desire to become friends with those people of the eastern sea
i would love to be their guest in that world beyond our own
if i am a flying dragon my wings have been clipped
but you, sirs, will let no one tame your dragon nature
once you lose integrity, you lose the wisdom of the past
in an insincere time everything is a lie
do not battle the waves of the wild river
maintain your choice for freedom
i will do as qu yuan the man from chu, and wear belts of ivy
and as did the people of peach springs, hide from the emperor
i must absent myself from the official world
seek seclusion and wait for a more proper time to return
this answer poem is not meant to imply separation
i expect we will always remain in each other’s memories
murphy commiserating with the political ins
in thanks for the poem of the censor pei, “in the rain i complain about adverse affairs”
rain at the beginning of autumn stings with cold
wet wind refreshes on the banks of the clear stream
i stand before the grandeur of your dignity as censor
your independence is that of the highest of clouds
all your life you have personified patriotism
your sense of duty innate and not learned
if misfortune follows us we become discouraged
but fate is a constant river we must endure
the land of chu once had the heroic wu zi xu
but the cities of yan and ying were inevitably lost
shen bao xu wept a week before the court of qin
blood tears because he was given no aid in his struggles
wu zi xu whipped the corpse of prince ping from chu
for allowing thick weeds to grow in his palaces
wu’s father fei wu zhi’s slander serves as an example
how patriots will be destroyed through today’s intrigues
a wide body of water separates us from each other
how could you possibly stop to visit on your way home
day and night i hear the mournful cries of the monkeys
my grief intensifies and thoughts of you fill my dreams
murphy leery of an iffy future
in thanks for the poem from censor cui cheng fu
yuan guang wished his emperor guang wu di
to not pursue him when he chose to travel
he returned to the vastness of the mountains
to enjoy the tranquility and to fish the swift rivers
this all came about because the star of the guest
had separated from the imperial constellation tai wei
it was certainly not as a direct result
of li tai bo being drunk in yang zhou
murphy prim and proper in his sobriety
i enjoyed the moonlight to the west of nan jing in the wine shop of sun chu while playing music and singing until the morning. the next night, wearing my fur coat with the purple embroidery and my black silk scarf, i went with some drinking companions singing songs as we traveled down the qin huai river as far as shi tou cheng where we visited censor cui, fourth of his clan
i enjoyed the moonlight in the western parts of the city
the dark sky embellished by the white crescent
in the morning i bought some nan jing wine
singing and playing music in the inn of shu chu
suddenly i thought of the censor cui and decided to visit him
i boarded a boat and went down to his home in shi tou cheng
i carelessly tied my black silk scarf around my head
putting my fur coat with purple silk embroidery on backwards
people crowded around applauding as we left
someone in the crowd likened me to wang hui zhi
a dozen of my drinking friends came with me
we made a drunken racket drifting down the river
my friends loudly berated the other passengers
daring the prince of yang, spirit of the high waves
halfway there we passed the courtesans of su zhou
their houseboat curtains rolled up, they laughed at us
because i thought of censor cui i came to see him
not caring whether people thought i was foolish or not
when i first saw him in the moonlight on the bank
i drank three cups of mine and pulled on the oars
i left the boat greeting him and we began to walk
arm in arm we proceeded up to the nan du bridge
there, inspired, we sang together the clear water song
a tourist from shen si suggesting to us the tempo
as the cocks crowed in the morning we partied on
our jubilation rising up into the drifting clouds
then he presented me with a long poem of many rhymes
it contained the sublime beauty of a brisk stormy wind
i placed it within the secret pocket of my fur coat
so i could sing it when i wished to remember this time
murphy a partygoer par excellence
on the banks of the river, in response to a poem by district judge cui of xuan cheng
tai hua mountain has three prominent peaks
lotus flower, morning star, and maiden’s jewel
searching for immortals i visited these western mountains
and there i met you, another tao yuan ming
you asked me what i was searching for
and how many rivers had i crossed
i did not wear a fur coat like su qin
my coat crane feathers like wang gong’s
undeserving yet called by yan zhao wei
guo wei and i are on our way to the gold terrace
i note that water flows always to sea
i see a floating cloud, it follows a dragon
the moonlight is lovely in the lu island forest
jiao tou zhen’s bell rings through the mountains
when i return you and i will climb the tian tai hill
where we can find a tall spruce to rest under
murphy minding his protos and cols
i thank my nephew zhong fou, a buddhist priest, for bringing me “genius table” tea leaves from the yu quan monastery
introduction: from what i know the monastery is situated at the precious source of jewel spring near the mountains of qing xi. most of the local caves are limestone caves through which the waters of jewel spring flow in different beds. in these caves are white bats which are as large as crows. the books of the immortals describe these bats as “genius bats’ because their bodies are as white as snow, as if they had lived for a thousand years. they rest upside down where they drink the stalactite’s water and thus acquire a long life.
on the banks of the jewel spring waters grow lush tea bushes whose branches and leaves are like green gems. the abbot of the monastery has drunk the tea of the leaves plucked from these bushes for over 80 years, and his face has the complexion of peach blossoms. the purity of fragrance and the pleasant taste of this tea is different from that of other teas, and the drinking of it will give one back his youth, revitalize his decaying bones, and provide him with longevity.
when i arrived in nan jing i visited my relative, the buddhist priest zhong fou who showed me a few dozen bindles of these leaves. they were rolled in several layers and resembled a hand, which is why they are called “genius hand” tea leaves. these were fresh from the yu quan mountains. and since i had no experience of them at this stage, he gave me a long poem along with them. this is the reply he requested.
so these verses are the result. so exalted priest and noble hermit both will know in the future that he first patrons of the “genius hand” tea were the priest zhong fou and the layman li tai bo, known also as “blue lotus”.
i’ve heard that there are many caves in the yu quan mountains
and that the majority of these are limestone caves with stalactites
within these caves live white bats as large as crows
who hang their heads down when the moon shines over clear waters
luxuriant tea plants grow on the rocky sides of those mountains
lining the path of the waters flowing from the jewel spring
roots and branches are nourished by this fragrant water
those who drink the tea of their leaves rejuvenate their bodies
green leaves of mature shrubs grow densely on the branches
they are picked and rolled up tightly together
the sun dries them in the shape of the palm of the immortal
when he reached to touch the shoulder of master huang yai
no one else in the world has seen these tea leaves so far
and it is unclear whether they will become famous
zhong fou, a member of my clan, is a buddhist priest
and he presented a beautiful poem of his to me
his poem is like the spotless mirror the ugly wu yan used
i look into the mirror and feel shame comparing my poetry to his
when i sit in my house in the morning in cheerful spirit
i sing his long drawn out lines and they rise to heaven
murphy always on the lookout for the latest nostrum
in thanks for the poem from the censor pei, “i reflect on the time the priest jiu played his qin”
like bao zhao who once invited the priest xiu to visit
your priest friend plays his zither so as to compare
to the beauty inherent in the song of the white snow
his music can turn autumn into spring on the banks of the yang zi
if the beautiful green brought by the music has not faded
you can pick some and send me the expression of your deep feelings
we are both longing to see each other but now cannot
my tears flow in vain and only wet my handkerchief
murphy swapping billet doux with his friends
in answer to minister zhang hao
minister zhang hao served as governor of jing zhou and was soon appointed as tutor to the crown prince. i was just banished to ye lang and had arrived at jiang xia. although minister zhang was a thousand miles away he honored me by sending imperial commissioner xi wang (under official in the treasury) to jiang xia with two roles of the finest silk and a poem celebrating the fifth day of the fifth month. i answer his poem with the following:
zhang heng found himself in a saddened mood
having expressed a fourfold grief in his poem
he also mentioned a role of brocade silk
i am ashamed i cannot reciprocate this gift
the wild goose is called again to chang an
the phoenix remembers his favorite pond
while you enjoy yourself in your high position
i will be in the shang mountains eating miracle mushrooms
murphy always imagining ecstatic experiences
while intoxicated i answer the poem of ding, 18th of his clan, wherein he scoffed at my words,
“i would like to smash the yellow crane tower”
i have already smashed the yellow crane tower
the immortal fei wei who rides the crane now has no resting place
the yellow crane flies him up to heaven to see the lord justice
but he is dismissed and told to fly back to wu chang
the excellent governor of wu chang has refurbished the tower
and he paints new pictures on the whitewashed walls
all the fools here are laughing at my drunken words
and more gather round to see such a garrulous clown
so where is the man who studied with the second yan zun
some people say it is ding ling wei from liao dong
you wrote a poem in which you make fun of me
and i am surprised by your independent words
while you were writing those lines by your window
a white cloud came by carrying your expressive brush
just you wait until tomorrow when this tumult will be gone
then we can walk together to enjoy the blossoming spring
murphy loving a good barroom argument
i answer the invitation of censor pei who reached the post office shi tou after we had separated, and from there sent me a letter of invitation to share with him the full moon on lake dong ting
when you reached the post office of shi tou
you sent a letter to me at the tower of the yellow crane
i opened the string on the letter and received your message
you wish for me to hasten my departure for the south
wind and water are notoriously unreliable
and stormy waves might hold me back
i remember the new moon just recently
hanging over the western balcony like a jasper sickle
now what do i see in the heavens
half a mirror hanging in the crisp autumn air
i am annoyed at this brightness of mid-month
for we could be viewing it together on dong ting
unfortunately this will not be our future
and this failure makes me as crazy as wang hui zhi
i do not know how far from the lake wu chang is
but since i cannot come i send this poem in my place
murphy always gracious in his demurrals
in response to a poem by hermit gao, i send these verses to count chuan and count gu
the rainbow intrigue of princess tai ping darkened the sun
emperor xuan zong roused himself to calm the populace
as once fate ordained the ministers kuei and long under emperor shun
to rise up and quell the rebellion in the kai yuan reign
at court the perfection of ethics was encouraged
peaceful methods benefited even the remotest areas
as snow comes to the mountains, i came to the imperial court
then was ungrateful because of the duties required of me
i was asked to draft imperial edicts, to advise
but my submissions were met by dark clouds
the emperor was misled by snide calumny
gradually i lost the beneficent grace of his majesty
looking for trouble i lived and worked at court
keeping silent, but over time filled with inward sighs
i wrote no more sad poems as wang can did in his time
but before i left chang an i wept bitter tears like jia yi
finally i hoisted sail and left upon the river
my travel was swift and not hindered by storm
the mountains decreased in height toward the east
the hundred rivers flowed unceasingly to the sea
the time of fan li, a latter qie yi zi
is more than a thousand years in the past
and although this is a long time between us
the people have been served by only a few heroes
i have the same proclivities as did he
if i could only grab him by the sleeve for advice
i walk to the prow of the ship and suddenly see a man
the epitome of the fisherman on cang lang river
who is this impressive man who rows on the river
where will he moor his lonely boat on these wide crowded waters
i find his dress and appearance from the past, old fashioned
but his literary efforts flash fires of great beauty
he likes to invite his fellow countrymen to feast
his generosity is strong, not fading as that of my friends
the earl gu should know when to speak and when to keep silent
master chuan should know when to serve and when to withdraw
both are actually aimless free floating clouds
and have now been held back by our friend gao
they are two water chestnuts caught in an eddy
and i am a solitary crane flying to the heights
tomorrow we will depart for the xiao xiang river
to visit the grave of emperor shun in cang wu
murphy entangling his alliances
in response to a poem about wu song mountain the bachelor du sent me
once i handed the emperor my poem of the great hunt
the skies opened for me and i enjoyed the royal favor
at that time i received in cheng ming dian an imperial decree
and i awaited formal instructions as to my duties
everyone was saying i was a second yang xiong
that men could find in me the same talents
the emperor gifted me with two magnificent horses
they were flying dragons from the imperial stud farm
they both arrived with ornate gilded bridles
and saddles decorated with precious jewels
but storm clouds obscured the sun, for i was soon slandered
i had to leave chang an and never return
the essence of the tale is the familiar sad one
a purple orchid broken by the autumn wind
i donned my square hermit’s cap
and traveled east toward shang mountain
i desired to pick herbs there, sing to the magic mushrooms
on the way i met yuan gong and qi li ji
who greeted me with humor and grace
how wonderful the stories they told me
i had heard in nan jing was a writhing dragon in mount zhong
and a crouching tiger in the shi tou cheng fortress
so i eagerly looked forward to arriving there
as once xie tiao anticipated reaching chang an
on my way near qiu pu i saw many mountains
with water rushing out of the narrow valleys
within this area lies the wu sang mountain
famed for being cold even in the summer
the local copper mines have many smelters
their smoke rises densely up into the sky
their huge fires reminiscent of those melting bronze
to form tripods for emperor huang di at the foot of mount jing
the old tao an gong stokes the red flames with youthful passion
the fiery hui li banishes the spirits in the purple clouds of smoke
how can a man stand such heat for very long
for me i prefer to search for the elixir of life and other spirits
i pause to listen to the wind rustle through the pines
then i rest carelessly among them enjoying the fresh breeze
the brisk sweet wind is clean and cool
it sweeps away the hot vapors completely
i want to climb the high cliff of wu sang mountain
and there alone look out over the nine provinces of the empire
i want to sing the song of glorious spring
and know that no one could ever match it
i have heard that you once traveled to cheng du fu
that the governor zhang chou welcomed you hospitably
that he recommended you to illustrious rulers
then the emperor asked for you, and you were given his grace
but in your independent spirit you chose not to serve
and since then have earned nothing but an isolated self
you are an elegant writer, better than all others today
your wu song mountain poem about is applauded by everyone
our relationship is not as close that between yuan hong and xie shang
but the poetic powers of these two men from a distant past
can be found in our time again, and again become united
it is a blessing that we share life, and our joy is the present
i use my sleeve to wipe the dust from the cover of the qin
then i play yuan xian’s song of the yang zi canyons
i trust that when i have left this place and come to wu ling
i can find rippling waves at the peach blossom spring
murphy gossiping with his contemporaries