xxi-01 i climb the san hua tower in cheng du fu
xxi-02 i climb o mei mountain
xxi-03 the mound where once stood the treasury of the da ting empire
xxi-04 i climb to the balcony of the half crescent moon of under-district judge tao in shan fu
xxi-05 morning view of the sea from tian tai mountain
xxi-06 at dawn i gaze on the red horizon as the sun rises from the sea
xxi-07 from jiao mountain i look over to the song liao peak
xxi-08 south of chang an, in du ling, an abridged stanza
xxi-09 i climb to the top of mount tai bo in wu gong xian
xxi-10 i climb to the hong bo balcony in han dan and drink too much wine while watching troops march below
xxi-11 i climb the xin ping tower in bin zhou
xxi-12 i visit the temple of lao zi
xxi-13 on a fall day i climb the zi ling pagoda in yang zhou
xxi-14 i climb the xie an hill northwest of ye cheng outside nan jing
xxi-15 i climb the tower of the wa guan monastery
xxi-16 i climb mei gang to look out on nan jing. i dedicate this verse to my nephew the buddhist priest zhong fou of the gao zuo monastery
xxi-17 i climb the phoenix tower in nan jing
xxi-18 i look upon the waterfall on mount lu (1 of 2)
xxi-19 i look upon the waterfall on mount lu (2 of 2)
xxi-20 gazing at the peak of the five elders
xxi-21 traveling on the river i gaze on huan gong mountain
xxi-22 i gaze upon the mountains of the yellow crane
xxi-23 the parrots fly along the wu jiang stream to here
xxi-24 on the ninth day of the ninth month i climb ba ling mountain bringing along some wine. i look down on the warships on dong ting lake
xxi-25 in the fall i climb ba ling mountain and look down on dong ting lake
xxi-26 together with xia, 12th of his clan, i climb the yo yang tower
xxi-27 i climb the west tower of kai yuan monastery in ba ling xian and dedicate this verse to fang wai from heng yo
xxi-28 together with chamberlain jia zhi i trim chestnut branches in the long xing monastery in order to view yong lake more easily
xxi-29 i venture onto the river on a small sailboat, waiting for the moon i set my feelings to verse
xxi-30 in nan jing i look out on the great power of china
xxi-31 in the fall i climb the north tower of xie tiao at xuan cheng
xxi-32 viewing tian men mountain
xxi-33 viewing papaya mountain
xxi-34 i climb the two small mountains north of jing ting mountain. i had climbed here before with a guest and he wished to return. on this trip i met censor cui, an old friend of mine who had climbed with me before.
xxi-35 i visit the water pavilion of my old friend cui, 8th of his clan
xxi-36 i climb to the ancient battlefield on guang wu mountain and think of olden times
i climb the san hua tower in cheng du fu
the sun shines on the city of jin guan cheng
its morning glory burnishes san hua tower
gold plated windows on both sides of a carved door
beaded curtains held in place with silver hooks
steep stairs leading up into the realm of the clouds
the panoramic view atop eases life’s sorrows
evening rain falls far away on the three gorges of the yang zi
the spring swollen shuang liu xian stream winds below
this is the first time i have climbed this famous tower
it makes me feel as if i had risen into the ninth heaven
murphy ticking off another of his tourist destinations
i climb o mei mountain
si chuan is famous for its many mountains where immortals dwell
perhaps the most famous and important of these is mount o mei
i have climbed and explored the peak from all of its sides
but how can one man encompass such a staggering magnificence
the dark crags soar a jagged path up into the sky
a master painter is needed to capture the extraordinary mix of colors
in the thin air i perceive purple vapors like those described in ancient books
i feel i can find the daoist secret of immortality up here
from up in the clouds comes wonderful music of a flute
from the rocks below come sprightly melodies from a pipa
all my life i have felt a fondness for o mei mountain
i am glad that now my wish to visit here has come true
my face radiates its sense of satisfaction
it is as if i have shed all the troubles of the world
should i now meet go you riding on his ram
i would take his hand and turn to watch the rising sun
murphy age 7, peering down from the edge of a cliff in the ozarks
the mound where once stood the treasury of the da ting empire
this morning i climbed the hill of da ting ku
louring clouds brought forth a feeling of gloom
looking out i can’t tell whether a fire rages in chen or zheng
but there is a great deal of smoke that covers zou and lu
i came looking for shen zi, but he is now long since dead
yet i connect with nature here, my spirit rises to the infinite sky
the gnarled old trees give off a sense of antiquity
the wind in the pines recalls the sound of a master’s zither
the fate of the princes of da ting are lost forever in the past
my sighs go out to the surrounding mountains and valleys
murphy smelling his freshly mowed lawn
i climb to the balcony of the half crescent moon of under-district judge tao in shan fu
master tao enjoys a freedom of life in the wild
he is in no way merely an ordinary man
beside the corner of the high wall here
he has built a crescent shaped balcony
wine is brought up for his guest in the white clouds
a chill west wind rises from the chestnut trees below
the autumnal mountains stretch far away to the sea
a scattering of mulberry trees adorn the lawn
transparent waters i see gleam in the sun
they remind me of the mirror lake in zhe giang
actually i wish to go on the yang zi to zhe giang
but the land here is fascinating and i choose to stay
murphy appreciating what he has now, not what he might find later
morning view of the sea from tian tai mountain
tian tai mountain lies next to the si ming peak
the jutting headland of blooms sport the bo yue strains
a red rock face stands as a landmark for where to climb
the moon looks to be an island sleeping in the eastern sea
i climb higher and can see even greater distances
directly below me i look out upon the sea
clouds seem the wings of a bird banking in flight
waves seem disturbed as if the giant turtle just dived
an approaching storm and the crash of tides compete
ghosts and demons seem to appear then evanesce
as i watch this strange interplay i am not bored
and my heart does not stop thinking of immortality
i wish to climb the magic tree and pick its red miracle fruit
i want the elixir of life to change my bones into gold
if i could only gain wings and soar away
to spend a thousand years on the island of the immortals
murphy reverting to his childish ways of thinking magic to be real
at dawn i gaze on the red horizon as the sun rises from the sea
thousands of miles out from the crest of si ming mountain
a red mist rises as if it were a great red wall of rock
then the sun itself appears and spreads it red glare
a shaft of light reaches to the snow covered crags
if man could swallow the pure liquid of dawn
the five viscera would be saturated with gold
with an extended hand i wait for the coach of the immortals
the one drawn by the blue dragon and white tigers
murphy hoping against hope for a miracle
from jiao mountain i look over to the song liao peak
from the cliff of mount jiao i look over to song liao
its peak seems to reach into the topmost heavens
how much i wish for a five colored rainbow to appear
then i could walk the long bridge to song liao
yes, if only the immortals should find love for me
they would beckon with their hands and call me to them
murphy waiting for the latest miracle
south of chang an, in du ling, an abridged stanza
south of chang an i climb the hill du ling
looking north i see the five imperial tombs
far off a rain shines forth at sunset
the distant mountains gradually disappear
murphy dutifully recording all in his diary
i climb to the top of mount tai bo in wu gong xian
i climb to the heights of the tai bo mountain
up the west side i make it to the top
tai bo talks to me and extends its welcome
it wishes for me to open the heavenly gate
i would like to be borne up on a cold gust of wind
and soar directly into the drifting clouds
then i could lift my hand and reach the moon
and certainly no mountain could hinder my flight
when i leave wu gong xian to travel on
will i ever return to this magical place
murphy adding yet another place that he has visited
i climb to the hong bo balcony in han dan and drink too much wine while watching troops march below
holding two arrows fletched with red feathers
i am now in the land of yan and zhao
at this time the star of the sky wolf looms above
and patriotic thoughts fill my mind
high atop the hong bo balcony i view military exercises
holding my sword i look toward you men guan pass
i, like zhong zhun once did, wish for orders from the emperor
but, not like him against the king of yue, but against the enemy in ye ran
the flags with tigers and dragons billow in the wind
which brings with it the military music i once followed
the noise of the cymbals conjures the moon
and the drinking game cheers our sad faces
here we are far from the scenes of battle
where so far we have been singularly victorious
i trust these men will return triumphant
after they have swept the country clean of demons
murphy trained for war but never blooded in combat
i climb the xin ping tower in bin zhou
far from home i climb the tower
late autumn and i think of returning home
the sky is immense in the crisp, clear air
the sun diminished, river waves below rough, cold
the clouds of shen si rise above the mountain ridges
the mongolian wild goose flies over the desert sands
the firmament expands outward, outward without end
the extreme distance i can see saddens me
murphy diminished by imagining the cosmos
i visit the temple of lao zi
the previous emperor saw fit to remember a holy man
he built a magnificent temple to honor his exalted spirit
where earlier men walked is now only wild grass
patches of thick dust now show only the foot prints of birds
lao zi’s furnace to produce the elixir of life lies now under desert sands
the purple haze yin xi saw in the han gu guan pass is long since gone
i stand alone where a thousand years have passed by
a temple, and pine forests from the time of lao zi
murphy following the footprints of his heroes
on a fall day i climb the zi ling pagoda in yang zhou
the cherished pagoda rises into the blue sky above
i climb it to look over the land in all four directions
the top is so high it reaches to the primal power of heaven
it rises like a landmark high above the clouds of the sea
spread below the whole of nature is clearly scene
the three heavens are beside painted beams of the pagoda
the shadow of the dome seems to move in the water
the glittering tip sparkles like a fire pearl in the sunlight
birds in flight graze the beautifully carved canopy
reddish clouds stretch to cover the colorful buildings
my eyes trace the path i walked to get here
my heart goes out to the sailors far out to sea
flowering chestnut and catalpa appear white with dew
apple and pomelo blooms are yellowed by frost
if buddha let forth the light from his forehead from here
he would irradiate from the entire unbelieving world
murphy once again believing in satori
i climb the xie an hill northwest of ye cheng outside nan jing
once the jin dynasty was overthrown the officials fled
and then became the yong jia administration in the south
the stirred up dust became a confused maelstrom
dragons and tigers fighting from morning til evening
cavalry of the barbarians came like a storm to the middle kingdom
the fiends were favored by the heavens and took much territory
wise men were chagrined by the misfortune of the jin
but a mighty bird big as a cloud suddenly flew down
the uniforms of troops were seen throughout the jin chu empire
their banners stretched as far as to zhe giang
the army of the western qin were hundreds of thousands
their lances and armor as numerous as the clouds
their whips alone would have filled the bed of the great river
they could have swept away the jin dynasty with one stroke
but we did not consider the dynasty would be rebuilt after its fall
so that out of all its countless enemies not one was left
xie an stemmed the tide of the enemy with ease
the entire nation rallied around him and prevailed
i searched for traces of the past here in ye cheng
and i found them here at the xie an hill
from this hill i looked out at various strategic points
this landmark rises above the confusion below
in my mind i see xie an, the hermit of shan dong
and remember that wang xi zhi said to remain silent and do
xie an was like a chestnut tree which is beautiful to all
or the fragrant rootstook of an orchid after the flower has gone
a white egret flies over the green island of spring
the morning sun rises beside the mountain of the blue dragon
in this ancient region only the cloud formations remain the same
the towers have fallen into ruin and the land is now farmed
i came here to offer a libation in honor of xie an
and am determined to create a a famous park in his honor
if i have success in life i will shake the dust from my clothes
and return here to create my peach blossom spring
murphy filled with ideas for epic poems
i climb the tower of the wa guan monastery
in the morning i climb the tower of the wa guan monastery
in the distance i can make out the city of nan jing
opposite the north gate of the tower is the zhong mountain
below the southern balcony flows the qin huai river
here in the monastery one can always hear the priests
during this worship heavenly music is constantly heard
in the two wings the drums of the doctrine stir the emotions
from the four corners of the tower the wind rings the chimes
the tower rises high up into the night sky to the milky way
during the day one feels able to reach to the sun and the moon
the past’s martial zeal is now gone from these desolate mountains
but the ancient spirit of the place brings cold shivers of feelings
toward the evening the sea of clouds stretches to infinity
blurred in the distance the towers of nan jing blend together
on the gate to the tower one can read the words chang he men
in the near distance one can see the phoenix tower
when the thunder rolls and the mountains tremble the spirits gather
make sure the many columns in the capital do not crumble
the lu ling guan dian palace is not the equal to this monastery
for all time this tower will afford its view of the capital nan jing
murphy imagining being atop the new freedom tower in new york
i climb mei gang to look out on nan jing. i dedicate this verse to my nephew the buddhist priest zhong fou of the gao zuo monastery
the zhong mountain range encompasses the city of nan jing
from there once emanated the martial spirit of the people
the gods themselves chose this area to house the emperor
the light of the rising sun rises from the sea to light its high palaces
the many mountain peaks look like a herd of deer
one might see bounding away from the hunters
the water of the great river gathers here its nine tributaries
to appear and disappear in the distance of a cloudy horizon
but times change and the good fortune of nan jing is no more
its beneficent location has lost its powerful signification
i climbed to here on a fair day to look out on this world
i see chu in the far west and yue in the extreme south
the buddhist priest zhong fou comes from my family
he has remarkable talents and is a phoenix among birds
as in the dark sky one can see myriads of stars
but none can outshine the brightness of the moon
my nephew lives in seclusion as a monk
all creatures and even the plants fear him not
his rose bushes grow large and cover his foggy window
the ferns along his stone wall grow old and wither
in giang su people wear wooden shoes as once did xie
yet zhong fou though goes barefoot and despises shoes and socks
after many days alone he comes down from the hills
but then he forgets even to ask the people for alms
he preaches the buddhist teachings, reciting the sutras
he calls cranes down from the skies to dance in the snow
sometimes when he preaches one smells heavenly incense
then many wish to follow him and retire to a convent
one cannot always expect to soar to such heights as this
i regret the end of spring approaches and i have to leave
so i write this poem to write on one of the cliffs
would it would last for a thousand of years
murphy filled with hyperbole when ecstatic
i climb the phoenix tower in nan jing
once there were phoenix
they strolled upon this tower
then flew away leaving it empty
the great river alone flows regardless
weeds overgrow the human paths of the wu palace
the officials of the jin lie under old burial mounds
three mountains on the horizon soon to be seen
then after the waning of the sun, not seen
the island of the white heron stands fast in the stream
it makes for a time two streams out of one
the passing clouds bedim the light of sun
i cannot see to chang an and my cause for grief
murphy unable to quit tonguing his sore tooth
i look upon the waterfall on mount lu (1 of 2)
from the west i climb the incense-burner ridge
then look to the south at the famous waterfall
the water falls full three hundred fathoms free
the mist from its canyon floats for tens of miles
the speed of the water is that of a lightning bolt
it emerges from the darkness in a great white arc
at first i thought the milky way had fallen to earth
bringing half of its spray to the clouds in the sky
i gaze long upon this magnificence, i feel more its power
how truly great are the benefits of the creative force
the wind comes off the sea without interruption
the moon shines on the stream, then hides in the clouds
chaotic waves crash in confusion through the vacant air
left and right, splashing to clean dark walls of the chasm
flying mist disperses as clouds of the evening
floating foam sweeps around mighty boulders below
then i look up to behold the famous mountain
its enormity penetrates to the depths of my heart
i will not talk now about drinking the elixir of life
i wish more that i could simply wash my dusty face
if i could only accept that i will always love the mountains
i could separate myself from the world of people forever
murphy dreaming that same old dream of isolation
i look upon the waterfall on mount lu (2 of 2)
the sun shines on incense-burner ridge
as it emerges from the purple mists of morning
from this distance you can see the waterfall
like a white sill hanging down in the gorge
the water thrown free like an extended wing
stretching in an arc down for hundreds of feet
one thinks of a silver stream of the milky way
landing here all the way from the ninth heaven
murphy absolutely certain of the miraculous
gazing at the peak of the five elders
southeast of lu shan rises the peak of the five elders
she looks like a bronze lotus jutting into the blue sky
one can see from her top the beauty of the land of nine rivers
i wish to build a nest there among the cloud piercing pines
murphy always a misty dreamer
traveling on the river i gaze on huan gong mountain
strange clouds surround the peak of the remarkable mountain
beautiful trees embody the noble strength it contains
above me is a gorgeous cloudless sky as i gaze at the peak
i follow with my eyes the descending crags to where i float
the entire day i have traveled on the wide river
and the uninteresting scenery has bored me
now the height of the mountain stirs my attention
i wonder how i can obtain some of its majestic power
silently from the distance i promise to return to visit
but cannot do so now as my intentions are elsewhere
but as soon as i have found the elixir of long life
i shall make sure to return here to this magnificence
murphy adding to the endless list of things he will do one day
i gaze upon the mountains of the yellow crane
i look east to the mountains of the yellow crane
massively rising to block much of the sky
from all its four sides emerge white clouds
the sun peeks over the highest peak in the middle
these are not only mountains capped by domes
but also steep crags rising from dark shadows
there are many tales repeated about these mountains
most often concerning the spirits which visit
that when they decide to leave for the island of the immortals
their cave dwellings lie empty for a thousand years
the furnace where their elixir was prepared has only smoke and ash
the source of their gemstones squelched and dried up
in their old huts there are only dust and weeds
no one is left to hunt for miracle mushrooms
i have a strong desire to climb in these mountains
my independence will thus be demonstrated
i have thoroughly explored the five great mountains
but these mountains are unique and different
i share my firm intent to the green spruce above
that i will come back here when my wanderlust is gone
murphy promising, always promising
parrot island
the parrots fly along the wu jiang stream to here
the island thus is called the parrot island
from here the parrots fly on west to long shan
how green the wonderfully fragrant trees
mists rise from the leaves of the orchids
a warm, fragrant breeze refreshes the senses
on both shores of the island are blooming peach trees
the waves of the river reflect their color as a brocade
i, though, am a poor exile and cannot enjoy this beauty fully
i can only look far away into the distance
the lonely moon wanders over the long island
but not for me, it only makes me sadder
murphy uncharacteristically crying in his beer
on the ninth day of the ninth month i climb ba ling mountain bringing along some wine. i look down on the warships on dong ting lake
on the ninth day the weather is inviting and clear
i climb to a high point and see no autumn clouds
here were created huge mountains and many streams
especially the chu mountains and the han river
a strong steady wind whips up large waves on the lake
they look like rows of tiny horses on a mad gallop
i remember the story of emperor wu di escaping by water
his mighty warship cleaving the waves of the fen river
even now we are fighting against the rebels
how many flags fly on the ships of our navy
my cup of wine shimmers like the full moon
down on the dong ting our entire navy has gathered
today on the chong yang fest i pick no yellow asters
i can hear from the far distance the beat of war drums
the sword dance seems to stop the sun in its tracks
time is suspended by this magnificent spectacle
i send drunken songs to cheer on the brave warriors
to help them be able to destroy all the rebels
tao yuan ming plucked chrysanthemums on this day
i will not do the same, today i follow the brave warriors
murphy besotted with blood lust
in the fall i climb ba ling mountain and look down on dong ting lake
early in the morning i climb ba ling mountain
then look to all sides far into the distance
the clear lake reflects the brilliant sky
transparent to its bed it shows the colors of autumn
yes, this autumn, still with saturated shades of green
as far as the water reaches it is bright and clear
the blue of the mountains blurs the distant trees
the green of the water offsets the cold vapors
a boat approaches near the center of the waters
a bird flies away toward the eastern region of the sun
the wind is cool off the xiang river in chang sha
the marshes of yun men bright in their flatness
standing in the burning sun i regret my thinning hair
the rushing waters of the rivers remind me of the passing years
over by the northern island the waters are in wild motion
but even more recklessly they rush off to the east
the people of ying sing a melody about the snow
the girls from yue praise picking lotus flowers in their song
when i hear this my heart becomes sadder yet
leaning agains a rock face i shed torrents of tears
murphy sensitive as ever and always up for a good bawl
together with xia, 12th of his clan, i climb the yo yang tower
from this tower we see the whole south side of mount tian yo
the rivers run off into the distance and before us is dong ting lake
the white goose flying away gives life to our grief
our hearts leap as the beautiful moon rises over the mountains
surrounded by clouds we sit and rest, here, together
our cups touch in sharing this spot close to the sky
a cold wind rises as we become yet more intoxicated
it swirls our sleeves into motion, inviting us to dance
murphy at one with his whirling drunken self
i climb the west tower of kai yuan monastery in ba ling xian and dedicate this verse to fang wai from heng yo
heng yo has a high priest who is held in high esteem
his cap of office has five peaks like that of abbot hui ko
his heart welcomes all and is closed to no one
it is inviting as the ocean lit by the autumn moon
when high dignitaries travel through ho nan from the southern sea
they all stop to seek advice about buddhist doctrine from him
they take heed of his words sweet as the morning dew
which by their pure coolness refresh skin and hair
the clear dong ting lake is like the sky has fallen into a mirror
the windy west tower is finer than the silver palace of the immortals
i come up here because of the view and the fresh spring breeze
i wish to hear of the buddha from him at this time of the new flowers
murphy always eager to hear the next guru he sees
together with chamberlain jia zhi i trim chestnut branches in the long xing monastery in order to view yong lake more easily
after we have cut the green branches of the chestnut
yong lake is much more easily looked upon
a rain has given the autumn mountains a fresh watering
the forest shines with its clean light green foliage
the water of the lake is calm as the face of a mirror
clouds circling above are like a moving painted screen
trimming of branches is considered a noble pastime
and now i have shared this joy with a famous man
murphy hobnobbing with the rich and powerful
i venture onto the river on a small sailboat, waiting for the moon i set my feelings to verse
i wait for the moon but it does not appear
i look upon the great river and it flows heedlessly by
then suddenly the moon peeks over the city
lighting the dark sky of the western outskirts
the moon is beautiful and clear enough to touch
but i have no one by my side to share it with me
the moonlight brings an anxiety as i look with longing
it does not show me the magpie towers of chang an
murphy restless and far from home
in nan jing i look out on the great power of china
the current breadth of the great stream is tens of thousands of miles
its tributaries snake through the land like nine writhing dragons
in its tremendous course it permeates the whole of the realm
the cresting waves racing ceaselessly away to the eastern sea
once before when the emperor of the six dynasties was overthrown
the three lands of wu lost their central importance
but our dynasty today has reunited the empire as a whole
under our government all the many waters flow smoothly
nowadays ren gong zi would lay aside his fishing line on the cang lang
there would be no hope of catching a large fish in these calm waters
murphy happy to live in the belly of a successful empire
in the fall i climb the north tower of xie tiao at xuan cheng
the city by the river is as beautiful as a painting
evening beside the dark mountains, a cloudless sky
two rivers like bright mirrors run through the city
the shadows of two bridges like colorful arcs on the water
on the outskirts leaves of orange and pomelo trees shiver
in the autumnal weather the chestnuts trees look withered
who down there would ever be thinking that i am here
high in the north tower of xie tiao facing the stiff winds
murphy in his aerie surveying the scene below
viewing tian men mountain
the tian men mountain is split into two parts
and the yang zi emerges from the cleft in between
the green water of the river flows always to the east
but here it must perforce make a bend in its race
the two banks of the dark mountains high above the waters
they seem to lean each toward the other as they rise above
a single boat approaches from the far horizon
riding the current issuing from where the sun is setting
murphy in awe of the constancy of the mississippi
viewing papaya mountain
in the morning i wake to the sun coming over papaya mountain
in the evening i see the birds return to their nests in its foothills
my heart is always filled with the bitter taste of wanderlust
as bitter as the green papayas for which the mountain is named
murphy never settling down even when he wishes to
i climb the two small mountains north of jing ting mountain. i had climbed here before with a guest and he wished to return. on this trip i met censor cui, an old friend of mine who had climbed with me before.
i was north of the pavilion of xie tiao climbing with a guest
when i met you coming home from a drinking binge
you made your horse prance as you rode into my sight
quite a vision you were, laughing on the green hill
finally you showed the whip and rode toward chang an
as i watched the sun set over the passes toward shen si
it is full three thousand miles from the land of the emperor
and the green clouds of sunset we shared on these hills
murphy meeting old students everywhere on the sidewalks of new york
i visit the water pavilion of my old friend cui, 8th of his clan
the large pavilion is surrounded by an impressive vista
the integrity of place and its seclusion reflect its owner
the canopy we share is high above the wan xi river
outside the window are the clouds above jing ting mountain
the cries of monkeys are interrupted by gusts of wind
as the moon rises we hear the songs of fishermen below
in my leisure i would like to be with the gulls on the shore
and make friends with them as we walk the sandy shores of the river
murphy always able to find pertinence in the scene before him
i climb to the ancient battlefield on guang wu mountain and think of olden times
the deer ran in the wilderness of the qin empire
and was chased down like a thistledown in the wind
the energy of xiang yu mastered the whole world
purple lightning shot out of his doubled pupils
he gathered 8,000 men around his banner
and set up powerful center in giang su
the son of the red emperor killed the son of the white
then he moved in triumph into shen si
the two dragons xiang yu and liu bang fought each other
the heavens favored liu bang as presaged by the five planets
with no central plans xiang yu’s kingdom of chu collapsed
liu bang’s han kingdom gained strength step by clever step
relying on his sword liu conquered all eight world regions
then returned to his native pei to drink heavily and sing of the storm
here in guang wu there occurred an epic battle between the two
one in which the victor between liu and xiang was decided
liu said, “when you killed my father and offered me a bowl of his soup
you forgot that my father is also your father for we have become brothers.”
there still exist traces left over from this huge controversy
ruined fortifications built to meet the guang wu shan uprising
one hears wild tigers roar in the caves and ravines of the mountains
while hungry vultures circle and scream in the autumn sky
scudding clouds are like armies preparing for battle
and the old bloodlust is manifest in a long terrifying rainbow
heroes have always been the ones who brought order to chaos
how can an ordinary scholar hope to assess such men with acumen
in one’s drunkenness one could call liu and xiang villains
but this would only be crazy words without validity
here in guang wu at the bend of the huang he i clap my hands
and laugh about the convolutions of the outcome at yuan ji
murphy reading roman history and imagining the gore