xxv-01 i write this verse on the wall of the zhou yi shan hermitage in sui zhou
xxv-02 at the mountain retreat of yuan dan qiu
xxv-03 at the mountain retreat of yuan dan qiu in ying yang
xxv-04 on the new canal in gua zhou, as a parting gift to my uncle, the attache’ li pen
xxv-05 a pavilion where a man can wash his feet
xxv-06 the pavilion at lao lao ting
xxv-07 at the water pavilion of the hermit wang of nan jing
xxv-08 at the mountain retreat of yuan dan qiu, hermit on song mountain
xxv-09 at the xiu jing monastery in jiang xia
xxv-10 i change the name of the qiu zi mountains to jiu hua mountains, a chain poem
xxv-11 describing the rest house on the wan xi river
xxv-12 in the rural cottage at dong xi gong
xxv-13 i laugh at a scholar of lu
xxv-14 i fear calumniation
xxv-15 i watch the hunt
xxv-16 i watch a tatar playing his flute
xxv-17 song of the troops
xxv-18 song of the cart drawn by soldiers
xxv-19 the wife of general li xun, the conqueror of all enemies
xxv-20 a spring night in lo yang, the sound of a flute
xxv-21 the myrtle picker
xxv-22 i listen to censor han play the flute
xxv-23 exiled in ye lang, i hear the emperor has given a great feast for the people, and i did not attend
xxv-24 in my exile i hear i will not share the general amnesty
xxv-25 in xian cheng i see cuckoo orchids
xxv-26 riding out to bo tian i hear the song of the oriole
xxv-27 a song of three, five, and seven character lines
xxv-28 a fantastical poem
xxv-29 twelve poems sent to distant loved ones (1 of 12)
xxv-30 twelve poems sent to distant loved ones (2 of 12)
xxv-31 twelve poems sent to distant loved ones (3 of 12)
xxv-32 twelve poems sent to distant loved ones (4 of 12)
xxv-33 twelve poems sent to distant loved ones (5 of 12)
xxv-34 twelve poems sent to distant loved ones (6 of 12)
xxv-35 twelve poems sent to distant loved ones (7 of 12)
xxv-36 twelve poems sent to distant loved ones (8 of 12)
xxv-37 twelve poems sent to distant loved ones (9 of 12)
xxv-38 twelve poems sent to distant loved ones (10 of 12)
xxv-39 twelve poems sent to distant loved ones (11 of 12)
xxv-40 twelve poems sent to distant loved ones (12 of 12)
xxv-41 the chang xin palace
xxv-42 the grief of empress qin, wife of han wu di, in the chang men palace (1 of 2)
xxv-43 the grief of empress qin, wife of han wu di, in the chang men palace (2 of 2)
xxv-44 sorrow in spring
xxv-45 verse dedicated to a husband far away
xxv-46 traveling on the roads, dedicated to a beautiful girl
xxv-47 feelings of a wife in her quarters
xxv-48 written for a man separated from his beloved
xxv-49 a wife, describing her feelings, on an autumn day
xxv-50 studying the wine
xxv-51 a painful feeling (1 of 2)
xxv-52 the woman who goes to the lake to pick lotus blooms
xxv-53 a painful feeling (2 of 2)
xxv-54 in the style of the rhapsodies of chu, written for a man sending his feelings in verse
xxv-55 in olden verse style: a wife thinks of her husband fighting on the frontier
xxv-56 thinking of my husband on the border
xxv-57 an impromptu poem about beauty, the half-drunk prince of wu
xxv-58 duplicate (omitted)
xxv-59 written for a beautiful woman, sitting sadly before her mirror (1 of 2)
xxv-60 written for a beautiful woman, sitting sadly before her mirror (2 of 2)
xxv-61 to girl duan, seventh of her clan
xxv-62 i take leave of my wife, ordered to chang an by the emperor (1 of 3)
xxv-63 i take leave of my wife, ordered to chang an by the emperor (2 of 3)
xxv-64 i take leave of my wife, ordered to chang an by the emperor (3 of 3)
xxv-65 in qiu pu sending these lines to my wife
xxv-66 i write these lines as if my wife were writing me
xxv-67 at the house of my host in qiu pu
xxv-68 i escort my wife as she leaves to visit the daoist nu li teng kong who lives on wu mountain (1 of 2)
xxv-69 i escort my wife as she leaves to visit the daoist nu li teng kong who lives on wu mountain (2 of 2)
xxv-70 to my wife
xxv-71 from the prison in xun yang, i send these lines to my wife
xxv-72 banished to the south in ye lang, i send these lines to my wife
xxv-73 in yue, five songs about girls (1 of 5)
xxv-74 in yue, five songs about girls (2 of 5)
xxv-75 in yue, five songs about girls (3 of 5)
xxv-76 in yue, five songs about girls (4 of 5)
xxv-77 in yue, five songs about girls (5 of 5)
xxv-78 the girl from wan sha shi, a second xi shi
xxv-79 written for the nan king prostitute jin ling zi
xxv-80 four poems about my songstress jin ling zi, sent to my friend lu, sixth of his clan (1 of 4)
xxv-81 four poems about my songstress jin ling zi, sent to my friend lu, sixth of his clan (2 of 4)
xxv-82 four poems about my songstress jin ling zi, sent to my friend lu, sixth of his clan (3 of 4)
xxv-83 four poems about my songstress jin ling zi, sent to my friend lu, sixth of his clan (4 of 4)
xxv-84 the song of the girl from ba, she from si chuan
xxv-85 i mourn the death of minister chao hing
xxv-86 on the way from lu shui xian, i lament the death of wang yan (1 of 3)
xxv-87 on the way from lu shui xian, i lament the death of wang yan (2 of 3)
xxv-88 on the way from lu shui xian, i lament the death of wang yan (3 of 3)
xxv-89 i mourn the death of the elder ji from xuan qing
xxv-90 in xuan qing i mourn the death of jiang hua, a distinguised scholar appointed by the emperor
li bai xxv-01
i write this verse on the wall of the zhou yi shan hermitage in sui zhou
shen nong invested his intellect in finding the elixir of life
since then this has become an addiction among the people
and yet i have heard repeatedly about master zi yang
who was recorded back then in the red balcony of immortals
by a breathing technique he acquired his wonderful power
floating up through the air reciting a daoist sutra
his dao was that of the immortals of the ancient world
his heart inextricably interwined with this primal force
his domicile rose from the seas around the island of the immortals
his sacred crane was seen to fly up to this palace of the gods
the snow on the pine outside his windows of dazzling whiteness
the waters below his staircase of crystal transparency
suddenly i find a joy in playing the flute and singing this verse
and wish to know nothing further about uniforms and carriages
at any rate i wish he could send me the elixir of life
take my hand and escort me to the purity of the heavens
murphy getting carried away with his dreams
li bai xxv-02
at the mountain retreat of yuan dan qiu
my old friend lives in the eastern mountains, alone
he loves the beauty of the mountains and valleys
in the greeness of spring he rests in the deserted forest
the sun rising high in the heavens doesn’t penetrate there
the wind blowing theough the pines freshens his clothing
the pond ringed with ancient rocks purifies his senses
i envy this man because he has moved beyond the clamor of men
and lives at ease, resting in the company of purple clouds
murphy finding his ultimate hidey-hole
li bai xxv-03
at the mountain retreat of yuan dan qiu in ying yang
introduction: dan qiu’s hut is situated in ying yang. recently he built a hermitage in the mountains there. to the north is ma-ling-a mountain whose crest has a view of song mountain to the south. far beyond thunders the rushing ru river. song mountain is surrounded by fleeting clouds. from dan qiu’s hut, watching them float by, sharp crags can intermittently be seen. the landscape is of overwhelming beauty. i came with dan qiu here where we could share our thoughts: and composed the following verse.
i wandered like an immortal until i hit the ying river
i sought the sacred unwritten knowledge of yours, oh yuan
at first i had the idea of serving the people as an official
but after i was rejected i came here to be with you, another hong yai
you searched long for a place you could hide out from all men
where, whenever you spoke you sang, all your thoughts become poems
behind us now the sheer cliff wall of the northern mountain
before us the miraculous outcroppings of song mountain
in the far distance the moonlight shines on the river ru
while we watch the freedom of clouds around mount song
you have shown a propensity for a solitary retirement
and i feel a strong compulsion for that life of solitude
but where ever we travel together we sit on rocks under pines
and talk, talk until the morning comes with its brightness
now i wish for us to become friends with the bluebirds
to leave here and travel down to the great yang zi
murphy chatting with a psychologist, at a cocktail party, 1966
li bai xxv-04
on the new canal in gua zhou, as a parting gift to my uncle, the attache’ li pen
qi huan has finished digging this canal
water fills its bed, and will flow forever
his great service benefits the people
brings together heaven and earth
so they will not wither away and die
the waters of the sea extending now
up to dou men and back down
at low tide one now sees alluvial sand
the people are given a tender importance
as close as the pear tree of shao gong
whose branches were never to be broken
never to be left to wither and die
between the corner towers of the two bridges
along the banks of the canal, avenues of fragrant trees
this canal will strengthen the defense of wu
it will be a formidable, permanent, natural barrier
i came here to accompany my uncle as he leaves
came down to his boat in the joy of being together
looking out on such a flowering of river willow
i was reminded of snowfall on dragon mountain
i am happy to be here with my uncle
as once yuan xie rejoiced with yuan ji
as they walked together in the bamboo grove
i am sad to be here with my uncle
as if i were another shan yang
being forced to disconnect
returning home, i look back at the dust of my wagon
and am filled with remorse, a deep, empty, loneliness
murphy up to the task of toastmaster
li bai xxv-05
a pavilion where a man can wash his feet
on the broad road that leads to gu shu
off to the side there is a large pavilion
at the front, a fountain from ancient times
around, a fountain pool, a balustrade
five fathoms long, roofed to make a room
here a wood-gatherer washes clean her feet
a traveling merchant sets down his wares to rest
to the west one looks across to egret island
reed flowers blooming there early this year
i have come with you this far, but now must leave
to walk back home, overstocked with flowing tears
murphy the master of stage design
li bai xxv-06
there is a place of sadness in this world
the pavilion at lao lao ting for seeing off
where spring winds know the pain of separation
and have yet to bring green to the willows
murphy tossing off an elegy
li bai xxv-07
at the water pavilion of the hermit wang of nan jing
master wang loves to speak of the mysteries of the dao
many worthy guest meets at his house for conversation
he also loves swans as did the worthy wang xi zhi
another daoist priest who kept birds around
master wang loves the bamboo groves as did wang hui zhi
who wandered whistling in happiness through famous gardens
this ancient wild park has many majestic, beautiful trees
beyond the pavilion a quivering of light flickers on the pond
looking north to take in the beauty of the full moon
one is reminded of the sprightly verse of the great lu ji
master wang brushes off a mat for me to sit upon
its smoothness and sheen that of a precious jade
he pours wine for me into a large golden beaker
as we drink the birds sing as they return to their nests
when will i ever come back this way again
to brush away the dust and vexations of the world
murphy always talking about nirvana but never getting there
li bai xxv-08
at the mountain retreat of yuan dan qiu, hermit on song mountain
i have long lived within the the lu and huo mountains
my friend yuan has lived for a short time on mount song
our old friendship remains warm and without distrust
all through the times one or the other was an official or not
his repeated letters reached me from his mountain peak
in these missives he asked to be my host for a time
this invitation was agreeable, in line with my inclinations
i hope to stay with him for quite some time
i am thus visiting my family to share time with them
i am also corresponding with yuan on these social trips
in this guise i have written the following verse
my home is found on zi yun mountain
where the daoist doctrine is still strong
i desired to live on the isle of the immortals
so i sought the wisdom of nature and solitude
i wandered through the wilds of fu gian
over rocks, through water, continuing on
into dan yu through the dragon gates
back and forth to the sea, like the tides
high up, i climbed in the mountains lu and huo
waited for the thunder car, reached for the sky window
played with the sun’s rays on the tower of dawn
always looking for places to climb, always solitude
but i failed to be transported to the isles of the immortals
i walked over the earth instead, all over the great mountains
my friend yuan invites me to mount song, by the ying river
his kindness of invitation glows with a warmth of heart
he has hidden from the world, left its dust and clamor behind
he wishes only to live in his chosen mountains and valleys
his heart holds now the beauty of rivers and forests
not pleasures of the court, nor prizes of the bazaar
his nature at one with unfolding of the dao
uncomfortable with living in the world of men
he wishes solitude, to escape the noise of the world
to live in the peaks and valleys of his chosen home
now he is able to break the fragrant cassia for himself alone
to roam, to pick wild orchids and magical, medicinal herbs
my modest woman wishes one day to ride the fabled phoenix
my beloved daughter wishes one day to ride the soaring crane
i wish to clasp their hands in mine and go visit the immortals
and i devoutly wish to get together with you, yuan
we will find the way to prepare the divine elixir of life
murphy a family man, providing as well as creating
li bai xxv-09
at the xiu jing monastery in jiang xia
this house where once my relative, li yong, lived, is within a complex
an old converted convent located on the southern bank of the yang zi
alas, there are no beautiful trees growing in the interior courtyard
but outside the high hall is a statue of the talented man who lived here
his books are gone, there is only a thickness of tall grass, growing wild
a fine white dust covers the area where he loved to play his lute
during his life he planted many peach and plum trees, all gone
so spring comes here now without the welcome fragrance of new fruit
murphy visiting the old homestead in the northwest arkansas mountains
li bai xxv-10
i change the name of the qiu zi mountains to jiu hua mountains, a chain poem
introduction: south of qing yan xian is qiu zi shan. this mountain is a few thousand fathoms high and is divided into nine peaks which look like lotus flowers on the maps. i searched for the name of this formation and could not find one. as si ma qian traveled through the south he failed to mention this range. there is no history of this mountain handed down in the local lore or the biographies of famous men. although many reclusive masters have chosen to live here, there is no poetry of the mountain to sing. therefore, i have decided to change the name of these mountains to jiu hua shan.
i was looking for supreme daoist priests in the regions of the yang zi and came to stay here with my friend xia hui hou. i raise the curtains on the veranda, and at leisure consider the snow on the pines. then i write the following chain poem for my friends in honor of a new name for the mountains so others may follow my lead.
the ubiquitous unity of the dao begets both yin and yang
splits the miraculous mountain into nine budding flowers
(li tae bo)
the highest crags hinder the emergence of spring sun’s splendor
still only the upper halves have the morning-red of dawn
(gao shi)
deep backed snow on the mountain blankets even the ravines
a waterfall, as if trying to fly, gushes from the highest crags
(wei chuan xing)
the dark shimmer of the magnificent green trees, blurs
in the distance, the mountain homes of reclusive masters
(li tae bo)
murphy memorizing poetry in senior high school english class
li bai xxv-11
describing the rest house on the wan xi river
i have always been drawn to that inn, up on the wan xi river
where one sees clear to its bottom, a heartfelt hundred feet deep
it betters even the redoubtable beauty of the river xin an
a thousand times eight feet one can see clear to its bed
where the white sand accepts the color of the moon
autumn winds sough through dark green bamboo
i can only laugh at the guidebook of yan guang
and his description of the beautiful scenes
he knew nothing of being here, on the wan xi
murphy remembering marble falls on the colorado river
li bai xxv-12
in the rural cottage at dong xi gong
the worthy man of du ling is exemplary
his heart pure, his inclinations altruistic
he built a hut on the banks of the dong xi
where he will live for the rest of his years
his domicile is on the qing mountain
near to where xie tiao spent his last years
green willow branches hang over his door
much like the famous home of yuan ming
colorful birds welcome spring with their song
flowers dance in the wind on the front porch
we are invited to drink as the master arrives
but he is poor and offers only plates of salt
so we get drunk
murphy needing hardly any excuse to imbibe
li bai xxv-13
an old scholar from the land of lu speaks only of the five classics
white-haired, he steadfastly adheres to problematics of these works
when asked how his thoughts might be of help to the common people
his face reddens looks as if he wished to be hidden in fog and smoke
his feet, always shod with the heaviest of boots as if for a long journey
his head, covered with nothing more than an old-fashioned square cap
his steps are slow and always straight along the widest of thoroughfares
they are rarely interrupted and leave only a smidgen of stirred up dust
in minister li si’s yamen such scholars are the general pick for the job
they are usually partial to wide, but not loose, habiliments of office
they are not the second coming of shu sun tong who served han gao zu
this man has not once understood the conditions of the present time
and he should return at once to his fields on the banks of the wen river
murphy disputing the koran with a colleague
li bai xxv-14
once three athletes were killed with only two poison blossoms
why should one resort to the icy glitter of a sharp sword
there is no woman that will not be jealous of another beauty
two flowers will compete in the spring to be the most fragrant
the beautiful woman of wei was tricked by zheng xiu’s wife
she was taught a courtroom manner which was wrong
the wife then told the prince the beautiful woman was false
so the beautiful face of the concubine was mutilated
soon i shall also cry for i am in danger of my life
like the hand held fan at the beginning of autumn
murphy an obsolete old man
li bai xxv-15
the governor is in fine form, showing his prowess
he enjoys his leisure time, then late in the day, the hunt
the hunters gather on the banks of the great sand river
fires on the mountain circle where the game is trapped
a high flying arrow brings a goose down from the clouds
the falcons so high they seem after the hare in the moon
the hunters pay no attention that the sun as setting
they enjoy the killing, return home only late at night
murphy knocking a squirrel out of a tree with a thrown rock
i watch a tatar playing his flute
half the melodies of this tatar’s flute are from shen si
they remind me of the mountains of wu in the tenth month
and of plum blossoms as they fell on mount jing ting
filled with sorrow, i hear the melody of “training border troops”
i, the exile, wipe away the tears, moisten my hat band
i look back to to chang an, thinking only of my beloved ruler
murphy ever the gallant man of his word
li bai xxv-17
the general uses his jade decorated saddle on the great black-maned brown
he leads his troops into battle, gathers with them after, in the cold gobi night
the iron frame drums on the fortress walls thunder their message
the gold plated sword is in the sheath, still wet with blood
murphy in close order drill for at least two hours
li bai xxv-18
song of the cart drawn by soldiers
a hundred times i have met war on the gobi
now, south of the fortress, fighting a larger foe
i break into the enemy headquarters, wreak havoc
i kill the hun general of the hu yen family
shot clean through with my single arrow
then i lead my surviving troops back
about a thousand of us still alive
murphy the war shaman par excellence
li bai xxv-19
the wife of general li xun, the conqueror of all enemies
twenty years i married you
you, the conqueror of all enemies
since you no longer love me
how could you still be faithful
i therefore leave your house
i take with me only what i brought
my bed, with its curtains, back to my parents
while i can only sing the song “dao shang”
the ancients never spoke ill of their family if they left it
you should never forget we have been husband and wife
murphy a true believer in the equality of every single human
li bai xxv-20
a spring night in lo yang, the sound of a flute
what magic flute gives flight to such wonderful sounds
it is everywhere in the spring wind of lo yang
a favorite tune i hear is the melancholy “willow branches”
who can hear it and not remember his old home
murphy attuned to all sources of wisdom
li bai xxv-21
most of the immortals have pendulous ears
age has grown them down to their shoulders
such a one met emperor han wu di on mount song
he was known as the man of nine riddles
this man said: i came here to pick fresh myrtle
eating this fresh sweet flag prolongs one’s life
then he left, disappeared into clouds and swirling fog
but the emperor’s council failed to take heed
and his majesty was soon buried in mao ling
murphy with voluminous sideburns
li bai xxv-22
i listen to censor han play the flute
when master han plays his flute the sound is pure and strong
the wind carries the tones up and around zhong mountain
and echoes, as if dragons were adding their voices
listening, one thinks of wang zi qiao and his phoenix songs
or the music teacher of confucius, shi xiang zi, and his jasper flute
and the fading sounds float across the yang zi to never return
murphy singing his heart out on a saturday afternoon
li bai xxv-23
exiled in ye lang, i hear the emperor has given a great feast for the people, and i did not attend
the most holy emperor sings in his palace to the north
i am a prisoner wearing a southerner’s cap, as did zhong yi of chu
i have been banished here to the remote desert lands as was he
when the court of emperor wen di celebrates, the heavens sing
i wish to hear such melodies carried on the wind, here, in ye lang
murphy a met fan forever
li bai xxv-24
in my exile i hear i will not share the general amnesty
skies can cloud over and thunder
the imperial grace can be a gentle rain
the east wind comes all the way here from japan
white pheasants are a tribute from far off annam
i alone am another jia yi, he who was banished by chang sha
and was not allowed to return home, even after three years
when will i be able to see the emperor in his palace again
as once the immortal from lo yang was presented to his emperor
murphy stuck in a bad job with a bad boss
li bai xxv-25
in xian cheng i see cuckoo orchids
in the past i listened to the cry of the cuckoo bird
now, here in xian xheng, i see cuckoo flowers
every call of the cuckoo in si chuan broke my heart
now i remember them, standing amid cuckoo orchids
murphy a sentimental old fool
li bai xxv-26
riding out to bo tian i hear the song of the oriole
in the fifth month the yellow oriole feasts on purple mulberries
high up in the branches of this wonderful tree, she sings
traveling i lost track of the days, but knew it was spring
the silkworms have grown old while i wandered about
they are already settled in their cocoons, and i cannot return home
i set my horse to moving, my heart disturbed
murphy getting his cues from mother nature
li bai xxv-27
a song of three, five, and seven character lines
autumn wind blows cold
the autumn moon rides high
leaves pile up in eddies, then scatter away
a shivering crow
startled, flies up from its bare branch
i long to be with you
i do not know when i will ever see you again
on this day, on this autumn night
autumn wind blows cold
murphy trudging through a cambridge winter with holes in his shoes
li bai xxv-28
the sun and the moon do not rest
they shine day and night forever
as the time passes ever so quickly
can any man expect to live so lomg
but i have been told that in the eastern sea
there is any island of immortals, peng lai
there gemstone trees grow green leaves
immortals climb them to pick the fruit
once they have eaten, even if only once
they never lose their blackness of hair
their red face of enjoyment never leaves
i want to leave here, go there and never return
murphy idly indulging in visions of grandeur
li bai xxv-29
twelve poems sent to distant loved ones (1 of 12)
three birds flew here from queen xi wang mu
bringing a letter from my wife to me in the hinterlands
reading the letter i find my heart torn, shredded
where can i start to describe the depth of my feelings
within my mind i see you sitting by your favorite window
playing your pipa with those most delicate fingers
the song you are singing sentimental with tears
as the green spruce is bound by flax silk
so is the woman bound to the man she loves
spring water flows into a well on the mountain
water that comes from one and the same source
how should it ever flow in different directions
i am full of concern in qin, you full of pain in chu
both filled with longing, but only for each other
murphy plighting his troth
li bai xxv-30
twelve poems sent to distant loved ones (2 of 12)
where do i imagine your house to be
wrapped in the purple clouds of sunset
your sacred mirror reflecting, with clarity
with the transparency of autumn waters
your resplendent finery aglow in setting sun
the silk rippling in the cool autumn breeze
but, you see with sorrow, no visitor at the gate
no one passing by the golden screen at the door
since i harbor these thoughts, i send these few lines
i send them on their way with a pair of wild geese
murphy the foppish french duc
li bai xxv-31
twelve poems sent to distant loved ones (3 of 12)
at first i thought to jot a short note to send
to express to you the eloquence my warm feelings
but the words tumbled out one after another
i came to the end and felt i had said nothing
my youthful looks have lately begun to wrinkle and wither
and my hair has become surprisingly white in a very short time
i know i look older than my age should
but i’ve been outcast for three long years
the peach and plum trees i planted must be beautiful in bloom
i see them now, blossoming, outside your bedroom window
don’t let the wind blow them all away
care for those red fragrant flowers, and wait for me
on the jasper balcony of xi wan mu stands a yellow crane
he will return a letter from my wife, from her beautiful house
murphy isolated and angry
li bai xxv-32
twelve poems sent to distant loved ones (4 of 12)
my tears fall on the bright mirror of water
i sit on the bank of the ho yang river
i linger here, not far from xin ye
where yin li hua, guan wu di’s empress, lived
the town so near i smell its smoke
the spring of my youth has faded, i weep
the speeding sun hastens my coming years
i fear, to be alone, to wither and fade like a lotus
i thank you for being, and will see you in my dreams
at night, to be together with you, like duke xiang of chu
when he spent his loving nights with the fairy zhao yun
murphy way down in columbus, georgia
murphy the prairie rooster full astrut
li bai xxv-33
twelve poems sent to distant loved ones (5 of 12)
in the far hinterlands i think of my fairy zhao yun
she lives on a southern shoulder of mount wu
there now the flowers unfold in the warmth of spring
there now the crystal waters sparkle in the streams
i reluctantly must stay here even longer in these outlands
and cannot return to be with you for yet a while
it saddens me even to see clouds drifting south
even the spring has no sympathy to spare for me
i no longer dream of my beloved, those dreams torn asunder
she lives far, far over the horizon, i seldom hear from her
murphy half a continent from home
li bai xxv-34
twelve poems sent to distant loved ones (6 of 12)
dark clouds separate me from the yang zi
and our beautiful home where you are, alone
spring plants are growing here
on the banks of the huang he
my thoughts of you a riverflow
but i worry about the spring currents
and their tortuous roar to reach the sea
i wish to join that rush to be with you
but i have no way to end my staying here
so i have only this missive, these tears
sent to you from the distance
murphy serving his country in marine green
li bai xxv-35
twelve poems sent to distant loved ones (7 of 12)
my wife comes from east of chong ling
i myself from an island in the han river
within our neighborhoods we often met
in admiration of the spring fowers
our comings and goings wore a clear path
after our marriage we became separated
and now the autumn grasses turn brown
a constant buzzing of insects, my longing for her
especially at sunset, the red death of the day
how could it not be, just once again
when the candle is blown out
and i strip off my clothes
murphy a vagabond in mourning
li bai xxv-36
twelve poems sent to distant loved ones (8 of 12)
i remember my wife in east park in the early spring
green peach and plum branches bearing red flowers
then we were separated
after this separation i receive no news from her
it is as if a golden cup fell into a deep well and was lost
i am given to sighs as i walk, wistful thoughts as i sit
our distance apart is as much as the kingdoms of chu and yue
i stand before the green window watching petals fall
the spring breeze reminding me of my fading youth
the house i’m in is lonely with only the moon for company
we cannot see each other now, my feelings forlorn
until now i haven’t put embroidered characters on silk
making visible my pain, set down here in concrete terms
murphy exiled in pennsylvania for a year, waiting for word to return
li bai xxv-37
twelve poems sent to distant loved ones (9 of 12)
ragged tufts of spring grasses surround my stairs
growing to cover them, as if they loved them
to use the inner pith of the juan shi herb
i tear it out and the grass dies leaving only the husk
when i look at this herb it reminds me of you, my wife
and i begin to understand your feelings of loneliness
from time to time i will pluck the stems of this plant
to remind myself of how we both are wasting away
murphy thanking the plants who give their life to nurture him
li bai xxv-38
twelve poems sent to distant loved ones (10 of 12)
the silk of the kingdom of lu is the white of hoarfrost
i take brush in hand to write a letter to distant scythia
the bird i summon to carry this missive, a white parrot
i send the words to comfort us both, we are too long apart
this letter is not long, but every brushstroke comes from the heart
even at the end of the world, a piece of silk can make you weep
and when your eyes have dried their tears, your hurt will burrow deeper
even at the thousands of miles we are apart, our feelings are intimate
thinking of a loved one far away, a letter is worth a thousand taels of silver
murphy the deep sea diver of friendship
li bai xxv-39
twelve poems sent to distant loved ones (11 of 12)
here, my love, your presence lingers
as if my halls were filled with flowers
after you parted, an empty bed was left
the quilt i carry for you now, all rolled up
three long years, and still true to your scent
this fragrance of yours, subtle and everlasting
filled with longing, while yellow leaves fall
tears of the morning’s green moss, glistening with dew
murphy a romantic man of letters
li bai xxv-40
twelve poems sent to distant loved ones (12 of 12)
your beauty charms me, a graceful hibiscus
a delicacy to be gobbled up, to be savored
your heart pulsing with the purity of ice and jade
your demeanor, demure, masking your true desires
most and every one of our days, we feasted away
we shared our brocade blanket throughout our nights
and then, despite the thickness of our love, we parted
throwing me into deep confusion, my mind unsettled
my grief unspeakable, snowflakes falling, ice cold tears
my spirit forlorn, bereft, torn loose from my body
sleepless, hair turning whiter in futile desire for you
here, under the shadows of the milky way above us
oh, why were you so demure when wearing silk stockings
beautiful woman, come back to me, time and yet again
as i trust the morning clouds to bring the afternoon rain
as assuredly as duke xiang promised, there on the yang balcony
murphy pining away, alone, and far from home
li bai xxv-41
the chang xin palace
where the mother of emperor cheng di of the han empire lives
she, the former concubine ban jie yu
the moon shines on zhao yang palace, frost covers the chang xin
emperor cheng di rides in his jeweled sedan chair next to zhao fei yan
her pleasures a gift of imperial grace, her time a time of joy
but who has compassion for ban jie yu who was discarded as mere concubine
back then it was, the time when summer begins to turn and paints the leaves
she sits now in the chang xin palace, facing the wrath of autumn winds
murphy facing the end, at last
li bai xxv-42
the grief of empress qin, wife of han wu di, in the chang men palace (1 0f 2)
the heavens spin the stars of the northern bushel
in the autumn it looms over the west building
but no ruler is ever seen in the golden chang men palace
only fireflies in the evening sprinkling their glitter
only then does the moon gradually rise above the castle
increasing its illumination of the grief of empress qin
murphy a mender of broken spirits
li bai xxv-43
the grief of empress qin, wife of han wu di, in the chang men palace (2 0f 2)
the eternal sorrow of the palace, in the cinnamon grove of trees
spring for her long gone, the passage of time no longer the issue
within the golden walls, within the swirling dusts of autumn
from the dark of the night, pale face of the moon finding her face
murphy himself, late at night, remembering
li bai xxv-44
my husband has ridden away on his white horse
golden bridle in hand, bound for liao dong
behind the gauze, under the blanket
i lie alone in this time of spring wind
the sinking moon peeks in with scorn
after the candle has lost its light
down through the window to see
laughing at the empty flower bed
murphy a lonely man, a bachelor
li bai xxv-45
verse dedicated to a husband far away
i am only a poor woman from lo yang
my wild man stems from the land of yu and yan
but he now slakes his thirst in the yi river
he has always harbored patriotic feelings
northwest toward the horses of the hun
green banners rode to meet their scented manes
since i heard his whip urging his horse away
they have swept clean the threatened borderlands
when he left he had kind words for me
but he never said he would be away so long
in the yan zhi mountains are many pretty girls
they ride horses and fear not ice storms or snow
if he meets such a one he will forget about me
as surely and rain separates itself from the clouds
my tears have replenished dried up streams
i keep to myself, sorrowful in my rooms
i embroider a short letter on a brocade
my soul sewn up in agony as the characters
make their message full of longing for him
murphy always one for a new adventure
li bai xxv-46
traveling on the roads, dedicated to a beautiful girl
my splendid steed walks careful through the flowers
i reach down with my whip to touch the carriage
a beautiful fairy laughs a smile as she lifts the curtain
points to a red house in the distance, my home she says
murphy stumbling upon a mother lode
li bai xxv-47
feelings of a wife in her quarters
the flowing water disappears into the distance
a reluctant cloud leaves its home of mountain pass
the water has only memories of the shores it’s seen
and the cloud always returns to this mountain pass
i am angry you have gone back to the dunes of the desert
you have left me lonely here, bereft, weeping in yu yong
my tears flow day and night eroding my youthful cheeks
my song, a caged oriole mourning the loss of green willows
i weave brocade alone, with a heart laced in its sorrow
i turn up the wick to look at the tear stains on my work
i look in the mirror and need know nothing else
my army husband will see an older me when he returns
murphy the fatalist his father predicted
li bai xxv-48
written for a man separated from his beloved
the clear stream has pooled to a stillness
peach trees flower along its bank
the petals receive their reflection as water’s gift
rippling waves scattering their richness of color
bringing full blossom of spring into motion
a while ago your face smiled on me, your eyes
now you bring forth from me this poem
the wind carries a song from the meadow
the classic love tune, “purple mandarin ducks”
before we were like two fish in the pond
now we are birds sitting, on separate branches
i am a biddy hen clucking too loudly
clucking all through the night, til morning crow
when i rise up, i break a branch off the tree of desire
i want you back, to give you this branch, so you can feel my heart
water poured on the ground is water full gone
a cloud drifting with the wind never returns
if you see birds fly past you, out there far away from here
have them carry a message to me, in the words of yours that i so value
murphy sketching a story in memory’s palette
li bai xxv-49
a wife, describing her feelings, on an autumn day
only a handful weeks we’ve been apart, things change
now wild rice and hollyhock sprout on my path
no one comes to wear it down, and i never leave
the shivering crickets in the mallow tree
never cease their plaintive noise, day and night
the dew glistens on the fireflies of morning
the red ivy along the wall, pale and wilting
i can only hide my face in my sleeves
the purple silk wet with autumn tears
murphy conjuring up a ditty for the girls to sing
li bai xxv-50
i see before me a golden goblet of grape wine
served by a fifteen year old, a pretty girl from wu
her eyebrows drawn with the blackest of ink
her fancy slippers made of red brocade
her words not easy to understand
but she sang with a beautiful voice
at the end of a sumptious banquet
her head rests, drunken, on my chest
how can i ever restrain myself later
when it is lying on her bed
under the embroidered hibiscus curtains
murphy the partygoer par excellence
li bai xxv-51
a new wife is as beautiful as a flower
flaunting her petals in a teasing wind
an old wife had a gem’s innate purity
once she was new, but now she’s old
just wait, another time will come
you will see your new wife grown old
think of han wu ti’s empress
left there in her golden palace
there now, on the beaded curtains
nothing but old, dusty, cobwebs
murphy settling down for the evening
li bai xxv-52
the woman who goes to the lake to pick lotus blooms
the younger sister sits, weaving flax into linen
and doesn’t yet know how to speak with others
the wife of her older brother wants to go pick lotus blooms
in the river and in the lake they are thick and beautiful
the younger girl says, my brother, your husband, is gone
so you should not let other people see you now
you should be as the wife of qiu ho
and keep the chaste heart of the old pine
murphy keeping out of the women’s business
li bai xxv-53
the young maid raises the pearl curtains to look outside
seeing no one she sits down, sullen, with an angry face
the tears pooling, then streaming on her cheeks
i can only wonder whom she aims her anger at
murphy seen only in the fanciest joints
li bai xxv-54
in the style of the rhapsodies of chu, written for a man sending his feelings in verse
why do you not come to me
i have fruitless longings in my heart
and have a depthness to my pain
i am left here, without you
left to sing alone
all this lonely time, austere gatherings
atop the reverential yang balcony
we have traveled far, far, far apart
between us, fiercesome heights
the wu mountains, green rivers of might
but your special scent, that remains in bed
rises slowly, to the canopy of ceiling
when i go to sleep at night, your scent envelops me
i rode my horse this morning to visit your new house
but it was empty, i wonder what it is that i should do
rains and storms between us, what should i do
feelings sore and aching, deep in sorrow, what should i do
i can only send the blue bird between us to carry this song
i cannot stand sleeping alone any more
i cannot bear your being gone
why, of why, have you left me, what should i do
why do you treat me coldly when i dream of you each night
my tears are unstoppable, my heart pours out
i pick a flower from the fragrant island
to send along with these my feelings
i watch the blue bird fly away to you
watch as he disappears on his way to you
i watch the bloody death of the sun in the west
i wish we were both clumps of autumnal grass
sharing a firm, immovable, intertwining of roots
there we would be, until we died together
and not two flowers separated in vagrant airs
murphy exploring new forms for his voice
li bai xxv-55
in olden verse style: a wife thinks of her husband fighting on the frontier
i climb to the shoulder of mount long
look out, think of you, my missing husband
my heart is miserable without you
no matter how far i look, you’re not there
the rushing torrent speaks my feelings
sends my passions out into the world, to you
you and i both have a right to complain
i am saddened at the thought of an endless frontier
and saddened by the falling sun, the growing darkness
extending past the western mountains, up into the clouds
and in those clouds white geese are flying
their piteous cries disturb, add further despair
i attach a letter to the leg of a goose flying by
so my husband can know the tears of his wife
flowing tears break the dam in my heart
almost ten years now, out on the frontier
almost ten years now, spring become winter
i almost accept you’re not coming back
i think of how deeply i want you right now
tears flow, still flow, will never end
murphy singing in e minor
li bai xxv-56
thinking of my husband on the border
what season was it when you left me here
spring, butterflies flying in green grasses
what season is it now, me waiting here
winter, snow on the mountain, shadows of clouds
yu men guan pass thousands of miles away
my husband can never hope to get a letter from me
murphy about to endure another winter
li bai xxv-57
an impromptu poem about beauty, the half-drunk prince of wu
outside this hall by the water a soft wind stirs the lotus flowers
their fragrance adds sweetness to the lingering aroma of the feast
here on this other gu su balcony, i, i and the prince of wu
his beauty shown as he dances drunk, his weakness charming
a last smile, and he leaves for his jade bed beneath the eastern window
murphy an insightful party
li bai xxv-59
written for a beautiful woman, sitting sadly before her mirror (1 of 2)
my metal mirror with the golden magpie on its back
sparkles on the dressing table made of finest jade
i brush it clean so it can catch the cold moon
how brightly it shines in the clear glass
my once rosy cheeks now changed by age
hair streaked with thick threads of white
each year i change, more and more
make-up still masks my real appearance
but in front of this mirror i can only be sad
murphy complaining of the arthritis in his left hand
li bai xxv-60
written for a beautiful woman, sitting sadly before her mirror (2 of 2)
writhing dragons fringe this, my precious mirror
my robes and gold embroidery shine from within it
i often sweep clear its surface with my red sleeves
especially watching the reflection of a bright moon
i bathe myself in the soft, flattering light
i become the golden magpie who never flies off
my dressing table inlaid with a blue phoenix
who longed for her partner as she looked in her mirror
and died of the loneliness within, in solitude
since my husband left me time speeds as arrow from a bow
i cannot forget the day he left, i do not know when he will return
a wild storm has built up inside me, shredded the petals of my heart’s flower
opened the floodgates of my eyes
i sit, saddened, before my precious mirror
murphy a big one to reflect on his mistakes
li bai xxv-61
to girl duan, seventh of her clan
once you walked away from me in your stocking feet
you walked over the waves with steps of fairy spray
how can i ever hope to find you again, my pixie
i can only drink many cups of this strong green wine
and i want to drink enough to become fully drunk
for i have fallen hard for your perfect rose of beauty
murphy catching her eye, across the room
li bai xxv-62
i take leave of my wife, ordered to chang an by the emperor (1 of 3)
only after the third summons from the emperor do i leave for chang an
tomorrow morning i ride out toward the pass in the wu mountains
soon after you will not be able to see me from your house of white jade
you will have to climb the same mountains to look down and catch sight of me
murphy off to serve his country as a marine
li bai xxv-63
i take leave of my wife, ordered to chang an by the emperor (2 of 3)
when i open the gate to leave my wife drags on my clothes with all her strength
she keeps asking how many days until i can return, how many months, how many years
i answer, i will return wearing the yellow gold seal tucked inside my waist band
and you, i added, must not be another wife of su qin and never leave your loom
murphy hiding his anguish beneath a gruff exterior
li bai xxv-64
i take leave of my wife, ordered to chang an by the emperor (3 of 3)
your beautiful home has halls, decorated with malachite, stairs sparkling with gold
you who pass each night alone, leaning against the door, slumped and crying
you who sits all night alone, beside the cold lamp, until the moon melts into dawn
now i tell you, those tears have exhausted their stream for me, i am in the west of chu
murphy inventing a better self image
li bai xxv-65
in qiu pu sending these lines to my wife
i am still situated here in xun yang
a thousand miles away from home
here people live on the water, in boats
and, as in the letters of bao zhao to his sister
they use lotus leaves to ward off the rain
i send these verses from qiu pu
as was the letter of bao zhao
across the great thunder lake
beyond, and on to you
you don’t share my constant travel stress
but we both suffer our separation poorly
i have been in qiu pu for three years now
and have received but few letters from you
grief has brought the wrinkles you artfully cover
stress has brought me many white hairs for plucking
a messenger from the estate of duke xiao of liang
brought a welcome letter from the north, from you
inside a palindrome embroidered on delicate silk
and your question of when, if ever, i shall return
though mountains and rivers lie between us
we both get our wish, and be together again
murphy exiled to pennsylvania, but for only a year
li bai xxv-66
i write these lines as if my wife were writing me
no matter how sharp the cleaving sword
how swift the arm and hands that strike
waves separate not, not for a moment
my thoughts go out to you on your way
connect to you, in the union of waves
since you, dear husband, left me last autumn
the plant life withered outside our gates
but the world once again is vibrant green
now after a careful sweeping of dead leaves away
lush new grass borders the well worn paths
we are two phoenixes who sing well together
startled, the male flies off, leaving his mate
on which mountain has my husband landed
you left me, and i remain here, alone
a traveling merchant from da lou mountain
stopped by, he said you were still in qiu pu
i sleep alone, under my brocade blanket
in the estate of duke xiao liang, dreaming of you
like the fairy zhou yun on the yang balcony
who was longing for duke xiang of chu
among my ancestors, three government ministers
after we lost influence we left the capital chang an
here in kai feng fu we have singers and musicians
we invite our neighbors to hear their sorrowful music
the flute sounds climb straight up to the heavens
while i complain that i cannot be with my husband
i am a peach tree in the garden, flowered, waiting for you
you are the moon climbing high into the heavens
never pausing to look back at what is left behind
i look at my face in the mirror, i do not recognize it
the pain of our separation has brought deep wrinkles of care
how can i ever gain possesion of a shooting star to fly out to you
so i can touch you and talk of how deeply my heart is grieving
murphy a child with an imaginary friend who is missing
li bai xxv-67
at the house of my host in qiu pu
swallows returning to the south touch my heart
i send these lines to my wife
my host tells me, frost has withered the trees on chu pass
i am finally returning home, and the cold will be severe
the autumn sky is a high infinity, the color of plants is leaving
swallows from tartary, reluctant to leave on their long journey
fly around, start to fly away, but fly back down
they chirp in pairs under the roof edges, then fly up again
what can they not love about this beautiful house
yet they fly again, to return, to fly again
but i am not one of those birds reluctant to come home
i am still far away, after several years, still on my extended journey
j have tried many times to write to you
but tears always came, i couldn’t do it
my grief without you, overwhelming
murphy reckoning with his first wife’s death
li bai xxv-68
i escort my wife as she leaves to visit the daoist nu li teng kong who lives on wu mountain (1 of 2)
if you wish to see the nun li teng kong
you must climb to her cell on lu mountain
in the green mountains there, a waterway
drives a small polishing wheel for smoothing mica
rhododendrons frolic in the winds by the water
if you, my wife, find peace and contentment there, write
we can then share the purple clouds in the crags
murphy always attracted to headstrong women
li bai xxv-69
i escort my wife as she leaves to visit the daoist nu li teng kong who lives on wu mountain (2 of 2)
you, my wife, are descended from a family of statesmen
you have studied the daoist writings
you honor ghosts and the spirits of things
you reach with your fair white hands
you reach into the purple clouds, the mist
resplendent in your robes of brilliant silk
once you reach ping die feng on lu mountain
you should climb aboard a phoenix
to fly away to the jade palace in the heavens
murphy in his cups, slipping off the deep end
li bai xxv-70
all this past year, i drenched myself with wine
soaked it up, well past my capacity
you are truly the wife of li tai bo
i have neglected my being with you
i’ve been as chaste as the director of sacrifice
who must remain pure for the ceremonies
murphy flinty in his sparking fire
li bai xxv-71
from the prison in xun yang, i send these lines to my wife
i hear you wept bitterly at my misfortune
you went to the governor with wails of despair
i appreciate your coming out here to me
with the tears of a cai yan. cai yong’s daughter
who wept a pardon for her husband, beseeching cao cao
you will cross the wu zhang mountains on the way here
in the past climbing through them was considered sure death
you will ascend this difficulty, pass through the dangers
up through the heights, on the serpentine road
but don’t cry when we finally get to meet
i could not bear to hear sorrow in your voice
murphy a good, true friend
li bai xxv-72
banished to the south in ye lang, i send these lines to my wife
in the farthest hinterlands, beyond the inhabited world
there sits ye lang, and there i sit, far away from my family
my wife back home gets little news of what i do
the wild goose returns the north each spring
and now i see that most of them have gone
that is the reason i could send no messages
ever since i have been banished to the south
murphy making up reasons to excuse his behavior
li bai xxv-73
in yue, five songs about girls (1 of 5)
the fabled girl from chang an
eyebrows plucked in a crescent moon
sparks flashing from spirited eyes
wearing sandals carved from wood
showing off her feet, pearly white
wearing no stockings as other girls do
murphy coming from an unexpected angle
li bai xxv-74
in yue, five songs about girls (2 of 5)
the skin of this girl from wu
clean and smooth, polished white jade
she welcomes with her open arms
she lets her eyes linger and play
they betray a warm, loving heart
she picks flowers, flirts with passing men
murphy paying attention to detail
li bai xxv-75
in yue, five songs about girls (3 of 5)
the girl on the river in ro ye
watching all the strangers passing by
rowing home and singing in their boats
laughing the girl hides behind lotus flowers
pretending she is bashful and ashamed
refusing to leave her flowery nest
murphy with a perceptive, careful eye
li bai xxv-76
in yue, five songs about girls (4 of 5)
the water of mirror lake gleams
the white of the brightest full moon
the girl from ro ye xi, the whiteness of snow
in a bright new festive dress, she rows
slowly across the calmness of clear water
a lasting tableau burnished in mind’s eye
murphy storing up memories like a squirrel with pecans
li bai xxv-77
in yue, five songs about girls (5 of 5)
the white footed girl from dong yang, ashore
and a handsome young man from gui ji
on his white houseboat, floating by
suddenly, eyeing each other
in the fading light of the moon
transformed in moment’s passion
murphy falling in love from afar, at least once a week
li bai xxv-78
the girl from wan sha shi, a second xi shi
the girl from yo ye xi, her white face of jade
dark eyes above white, then red, touch of shade
her small wooden sandals, flashing gold at the heels
her feet, the full white of snow, relaxed, resting
murphy remarking so as to remember
li bai xxv-79
written for the nan king prostitute jin ling zi
from whence do they come
these women who live in nan king
behind the gauze windows
i listen to their words
they are flowers who flew down from the sky
the one from the the west
who traveled the river to nanking
i listen to her su zhou accent
its performance impeccable
a pampered beauty she is not
she is a bit awkward in her singing
but this merely adds to her charm
i am now become a second xie an
inviting a prostitute to be my company
i go to the eastern mountains with her
to lose ourselves, in forests and streams
murphy always tempted to the side paths
li bai xxv-80
four poems about my songstress jin ling zi, sent to my friend lu, sixth of his clan (1 of 4)
xie an was thirty years old when she moved here from the eastern mountains
she, a prostitute picked out of the dusty swirl of the world, for me
if you could only see her, this jin ling zi, who now graces my home
she is the fairy zhao yun on the yang balcony of duke xiang of chu
murphy tending to a bruised female ego
li bai xxv-81
four poems about my songstress jin ling zi, sent to my friend lu, sixth of his clan (2 of 4)
the sweet wine from xin feng in my hands
the petite woman from the eastern mountains, singing
but no matter how much i try to rejoice
the coming spring doesn’t soothe my sadness
murphy beyond the seasons, involved in painful hours
li bai xxv-82
four poems about my songstress jin ling zi, sent to my friend lu, sixth of his clan (3 of 4)
on the shore of west river, hermit lu hosts a feast
with the writing of verse, and appreciable drinking
he and i, greeting each other, drink to oblivion
while watching the sun, sinking into the li yang river
murphy clearing his mind, becoming nothing, stupid
li bai xxv-83
four poems about my songstress jin ling zi, sent to my friend lu, sixth of his clan (4 of 4)
my petite sing song girl jin ling zi sings the songs of chu
my servant plays the flute, the song “phoenixes in flight”
i sit and drink a wonderful wine, to your health
in trust your heart will never close to me
murphy gossiping like old lady friends
li bai xxv-84
the song of the girl from ba, she from si chuan
waters of the ba rush arrow speed past these shores
the boat leaves down river, swiftly, as if in panicked flight
this is the tenth month since you left me
you have traveled thousands of miles away
how many years, my husband, until you return
murphy writing ditties to fire up the home front
li bai xxv-85
i mourn the death of minister chao hing
a nipponese man who came with his country’s mission to china, and stayed to serve in high posts of the civil service here
the man from nippon chao hing
left his residence in chang an
to return to his lands the long way around
by sailing first to the isles of the immortals
it was a moon sinking into the green seas
the like of its brightness to never return
i regret that the white cloud smiling over yu zhou island
has left from here, his former home on mount cang wu
murphy with few personal friends within his profession
li bai xxv-86
on the way from lu shui xian, i lament the death of wang yan (1 of 3)
two rows of white willows border the road
my horse complains of the rough footing
i leave li shui under a morning moon
xie lin yun mourned the death of lu ling wang
looking up to a morning moon as he left yun yang
as i travel along the shore of the li river
which rises from the heights of the wu pass
i ponder how life always flows away and never returns
you, my old friend, are dead and lie now on mao mountain
your jade garment of sorrow a gift from the heavens
your uniform impeccable, your helmut resplendent
all placed within the dark resources of the underworld
your fame and glory rivalled the sun and the moon
your rise to power quick, to the heights of scudding clouds
but after some time your ambitions lost their way
your grandiose plans came to a too early end
i am like the man from the kingdom of chu
who came to mourn the death of gong
my inmost heart cannot find words, i can only weep
thinking of the fragrant orchid you were
murphy watching them fall one by one
li bai xxv-87
on the way to lu shui xian, i lament the death of wang yan (2 of 3)
wang yan, you were a unique gemstone in our times
it was much too early for you to leave this world
my lamentations began at teh time of your death
and now your grave is covered with autumn grass
while i weep for you i feel i must buckle on my sword
like yan ji ling zi at the grave of the prince of xu
but i cannot hang it on the tree by your grave
for now i have traveled far, far away from you
i turn in the direction of mao mountain to complain
but the mountain is impassive to the wonts of men
in all my life i have never wept so much
here now as i travel this road to dan yang
murphy benumbed by the loss of his first wife
li bai xxv-88
on the way to lu shui xian, i lament the death of wang yan (3 of 3)
the family wang has many splendid branches
one of which has broken off before its full flower
your mourners came from all parts of the empire
grieving cranes arrive, bringing friends from afar
yet you were not to be used by the emperor
your talents to bring rain on his many crops
to help steer the boat of state through the rapids
the gods chose to take you away too soon
as the song of guang ling dies away i mourn a death
the pure tones of my lute sound no more, my friend has died
murphy singing the morning blues of an old man
li bai xxv-89
i mourn the death of the elder ji from xuan qing
old man ji is now in the underworld
where he presses grapes for his wine as before
but in his dark grave there is no li tai bo
who will buy up all his wine now
murphy buying local to keep moms and pops in business
li bai xxv-90
in xuan qing i mourn the death of jiang hua, a distinguised scholar appointed by the emperor
the jing ting mountain holds the grave of a wonderful man
the distinguished scholar jiang hua, appointed by the emperor
i have searched in vain for any writings left after his death
just as han wu di searched for writings of si ma xiang ru
and found only the essay on the ceremonies of great sacrifice
standing on the balcony overlooking the lake, eyeing a sadness of moon
his home is desolate, but the poetic descriptions he left, shine bright
like yan ji ling i hang my sword on a tree near his grave, and leave it there
murphy recalling old office politics, and steadfast friends