xxx-01 i send the following mixed verse to a friend in dan yang, and also to cui huan, secretary of the imperial commission for clemency
xxx-02 on wu song mountain in nan ling, i separate from xun, seventh of this clan
xxx-03 i walk to the fish pond
xxx-04 drunk on wine i ride six miles from guang ping to han dan, where i climb the watchtower. when i look down on the ruins i write my feelings in this poem.
xxx-05 a moonliit night in nan king, thinking of old times
xxx-06 the xin ting pavilion south of nan king
xxx-07 late blooming peach in my courtyard
xxx-08 my younger cousin li zhao, zhang shi minister of xuan cheng, gives me a pair of dancing cranes from qin xi. i reflect on my feelings at receiving this gift
xxx-09 warmed wine
xxx-10 a joking poem for du fu
xxx-11 what the poor woman said
xxx-12 separation in life
xxx-13 the new moon
xxx-14 after a rain, i admire the moon
xxx-15 during a rain
xxx-16 the morning’s good weather
xxx-17 the woman turned to stone waiting for her husband
xxx-18 on a winter day i return to my old mountain home
xxx-19 in the valley of zou yan
xxx-20 i travel upriver on the qing xi to gain entry to the mountains, a poem for cui hao
xxx-21 a song for the rising of the sun in the southeast
xxx-22 on behalf a beautiful young woman i send this verse to one who passed the ju ren exams before me, the honorable weng xan shu
xxx-23 i escort a guest as he leaves to return to wu
xxx-24 i escort a friend as he leaves for a visit to the yang zi gorges
xxx-25 i escort district judge yuan who leaves for his post in chang jiang xian in si chuan
xxx-26 i escort the secretary of the police as he leaves for the encampment of minister cui
xxx-27 the battle to the south of the city wall
xxx-28 in tartary there are no more people, a song
xxx-29 the song of life’s game
xxx-30 verse written on the hut-wall of hermit xu xuan ping
xxx-31 i write this verse on the wall of a hill top monastery in hu be
xxx-32 the waterfall
xxx-33 broken verses, fragments of unfinished poems (1 of 2)
xxx-34 broken verses, fragments of unfinished poems (2 of 2)
xxx-35 a young girl sings a song for spring
xxx-36 a grave containing relics
xxx-37 the song of mo duo lou zi
xxx-38 spring in the air
xxx-39 count yin, 11th of his clan) presented me with an inkstone from cheng zhou. you can find a beautiful chestnut jade in the mountains there. this stone is ideal for carving into an ink stone of great beauty and utility.
xxx-40 the pu zhao monastery
xxx-41 the balcony for angling, xun yang tai in an hui
xxx-42 the small peach blossom spring
xxx-43 on dou chan mountain
xxx-44 i dedicate this poem to the magistrate of the zhiang you district
xxx-45 two songs “qing ping yo” (1 of 2)
xxx-46 two songs “qing ping yo” (2 of 2)
xxx-47 three songs “qing ting yo” (1 of 3)
xxx-48 three songs “qing ting yo” (2 of 3)
xxx-49 three songs “qing ting yo” (3 of 3)
xxx-50 autumn in chang an, the gui dian palace
xxx-51 two trees with interwoven branches (1 of 2)
xxx-52 two trees with interwoven branches (2 of 2)
li bai xxx-01
i send the following mixed verse to a friend in dan yang, and also to cui huan, secretary of the imperial commission for clemency
a stranger came from the kun lun mountains
bringing a pair of rough, uncut gemstones
he said they were oddments left by xi wang mu
in ancient times, it is said, ingesting these stones brought immortality
for when a man has consumed these gemstones
he could fly up into the highest of the heavens
i love these stones, a more magnificent gift cannot be imagined
if my countrymen, between the yang zi and the huai rivers
wonder of their value and consider them mere pebbles
would not bian he be saddened by these doubts
fearing that no one would believe in his percipience
even if one should know the value of these stones
what would that knowledge ever aid and avail him
lin xiang ru, a worthwhile man, a hero of china
he it was he who brought back bian he’s stones
these stones transform one into an immortal
i wish to bring them back with me to hao jing
i should then be able to do as did lin xian ru
and reach the palace of the ruler of qin
i can only hope for the emperor’s grace
so he could look upon the pair of gemstones
one of these stones i would now give to you
so you could keep it carefully, do not throw it away
do not throw it away for we will meet again
to eat these gems together, and in so doing, become immortal
murphy the old politician promising nirvana
li bai xxx-02
on wu song mountain in nan ling, i separate from xun,
seventh of this clan
you are as honorable as xun shu from ying chuan
your guest from xu shi chen is left behind
when we two met a virtuous star appeared in the sky
the court astrologer declared a fortuitous meeting had occurred
you are a gem due to be rescued from the rocks
you are a faded orchid with the root growth of spring
yet soon we will be even thousands of miles apart
yet linked together, both sent to serve the pure truth
murphy accepting his marching orders
li bai xxx-03
i walk to the mossy pond in the time of falling leaves
the water in the pond is calm and transparently clear
evening descends as the purple fish jump and splash
the droplets returning, circles blooming everywhere
the cold fog lifts from the grove of bamboo
a ribbon of sand brightened by the fullness of moon
why am i so joyous here on the cang lang river
here one can live a free life where qu yuan washed his hat band
murphy camping near marble falls at the age of seven
li bai xxx-04
drunk on wine i ride six miles from guang ping to han dan, where i climb the watchtower. when i look down on the ruins i write my feelings in this poem.
i drunkenly mount my horse with the black mane
to gallop west until i reach the town of han dan
i use my whip til the passing greenery begins to blur
i let the reins loose and swim in the wind of spring
i reach the town’s suburb, and climb the wall tower
the far mountains and river merge with the clouds
the spacious palaces of the old empire of zhao gone
ruins now covered by green grass, a disturbing sight
lin xiang ru stood on the zhang terrace
his wild energy affecting the prince of qin
the two tigers of the kingdom of zhao, he and lian po
did not fight, but chose to work together
gong sun chu qiu and cheng ying
they rescued the orphan zhao wu
who was hidden in his mother’s skirts
they protected the child, even at risk
their steadfast loyalty shining still today
ping yuan jun, prince of zhao, had 3.000 retainers
who, if you listened to them, were all heroes
but among them only mao sui stood out
he arranged the alliance of zhao and chu against qin
all those men long buried, gone silent in their graves
and these thoughts bring rivers of tears from my eyes
looking over to shi zi gang mountain with its countless graves
a sadness of white willows being combed by the winds
many worthy men are buried there
their tombstones with faded inscriptions
since the first of times always the same
the recurrent cycle, upswing then downfall
i speak no more the tragedy of these people
but full of emotion i look back on these men
their fame alone remains on this earth
i would be like xin ling jun, prince of wei
who befriended his roisterous warriors
whiling away time with them in the wintercamps
drinking themselves into frenzies, huddling in their tents
i would be like jing ko who sang along the banks of the yi river
and in so doing brought torturous waves to attack the shore
and in so doing brought down the famed zong balcony
after the sun has fallen i ride back home by torchlight
early tomorrow i leave to travel to the capital of yan
i will offer them my strategy for fighting the jia yi huns
without delay, to attack and clean this scum from the land
murphy an untamed wildness as a young man
li bai xxx-05
a moonlit night in nan king, thinking of old times
how pale the moon is as it rises over nan king
useless to illuminate the former emperor’s castle
the stars still shine from the heavens as always
but the enormous power of the emperor is gone
as if carried away east by the great yang zi
the clear waters have obliterated well trodden paths
roots of green pines have broken into the imperial tombs
balconies have collapsed, even the famous zhu guan que
the feng haung lou castle is a crumbled, low heap of ruins
the fragrant gardens of qing shu dian gone, lo you yuan gone
who now hears “the palace of glorious trees in the back courtyard”
it was once the favorite song of the last emperor of the chen dynasty
sadly trees are now leafless in late autumn, gone like the emperors
murphy reading the history of his people, trying to understand
li bai xxx-06
the xin ting pavilion south of nan king
on a beautiful day here on the xin ting pavilion
the patriots of the jin dynasty came together
they spoke of everything that had changed
especially from the time of the zhou yi regime
the entire company cried out like the prisoner of chu
but there was no intention to restore the old empire
how important were the actions of wang dao on this day
the memory of this brave man is honored to this day
murphy making sure the children learn their history
li bai xxx-07
late blooming peach in my courtyard
in my courtyard i planted peaches from xi wang mu
for many springs now they have bloomed only once
if they should bear fruit people would laugh at me
so i merely pluck the flowers and sigh deeply
murphy trying to grow vegetables in the short vermont summer
li bai xxx-08
my younger cousin li zhao, zhang shi minister of xuan cheng, gives me a pair of dancing cranes from qin xi. i reflect on my feelings at receiving this gift
my younger cousin administers in xuan cheng
he sent me a pair of dancing cranes from qin xi
he claims they flew down, from a sky at first snowfall
suddenly out of the air, down to his window
their feathers are the whitest of jade
i would not sell them even for gold
as they extend their expressive flight feathers
they face on the mountain terrace, they dance
when they see me coming they cry out
they tell me they rejoice at my being
would my cousin and i were able to mount these birds
to fly away together, up, up into the heavens
murphy mastering the intricacies of the potlatch
li bai xxx-09
when wine is heated sinuous lines form on its surface
for all the world it writhes like liquid damascene steel
if it is not shaken for a time white clouds will form
if you blow off these clouds you see the blue of the sky
throwing these top layers aside makes it easier to get drunk
murphy never acquiring the taste for mulled wine
li bai xxx-10
i meet du fu climbing fan ko mountain
high noon and he wears a big straw hat
i wonder why he has become so thin since
it must be the intensity of his writing verse
murphy explaining the blood flow in the brain of deep thinkers
li bai xxx-11
earlier, when you were a private citizen
we shared all the difficulties of life
but when you became a guard officer
you took a second woman in han dan
so i wanted to leave you, and you agreed
the old story of the divorcing woman
weeping in sadness at her lonely fate
what i remember when i was your wife
there were few days of joy i spent with you
it’s not as if i neglected my duties as a woman
but to be the woman in your house is hard
i was forced to dance and sing from early morning on
then, while others praised, you showed me your displeasure
so i now leave your home in this final departure
i am indifferent to whatever your feelings
murphy facing a lonely bed in january
li bai xxx-12
if a man and a wife separate during their lives together
they should not waver in their loving thoughts and faithful ways
why is it that our separation has lasted for so long
the grass of our courtyard has grown green again five times
your journey is boundless, through foreign countries, over the seas
you have removed yourself far from the lonely wife you left behind
but i remain the virtuous woman written of in the book of odes
waiting faithful on her island home, waiting by the river han
though you are far away from me, i conjure up your spirit
and i tell to you my anguish that you have gone so far away
on the one hand long journeys are always difficult
on the other, we are a poor family and your clothing is too thin
the biting winter wind brings snow and sleet to your face
when you rise up on cold mornings, tears freeze on your face
every man follows his will in life, but what of the warmth you left behind
in the bright sun of day i swear, you are the only man in my life
murphy off to the wars and hating it
li bai xxx-13
new moon slices up from the sea
dew moistens the flowers
wind swirls eddies at the edges of clouds
emergent crescent reflects on the river
here, moon light, silly people playing instruments
warriors saddened, reminded by the moon, thinking of home
the harmony of the moment captures me
my only response, to capture now, this verse
murphy catching lightning in a leyden jar
li bai xxx-14
after a rain, i admire the moon
the dark clouds have all scattered away
i open door to wander, and gaze on the rising moon
first, a snow white landscape stretches into the distance
all gleaming with the kiss of the burgeoning moon
light reaches far, lighting the land to banks of the yang zi
then rises up to show the white of mountain tops
then rising still, reaches center of the lake’s reflection
the moon is best when it becomes round like this
i sit out, into the early morning hours, singing away
murphy bringing the fire to the new moon ceremony
li bai xxx-15
i roll the door curtain up so i can see out
all the plants adrip, aglitter with dew
ancient mountain peaks above, awreath with clouds
beyond the inner courtyard, a paling ground of fog
it saddens me, not the rain or droplets of water
but yesterday’s windswept torrents of water, their mud
without all this rain the farmers could work all day
back and forth, back and forth
plowing their fields by the river
murphy always washing his clothes on a sunny day
li bai xxx-16
the country is still cold but the rain has stopped
everywhere the beginnings, the colors of spring
fish jump in the now overflowing blueness of pond
orioles sing in the green branches, now hanging low
the flowers in the forest all glisten in the dampness
wet grasses on the mountains sparkle in the sun
a few clouds remain, scattering away, here and there
wind bends the bamboo down to touch the roisterous spring river
murphy making it to yet another spring
li bai xxx-17
the woman turned to stone waiting for her husband
the stone has weathered but her face can still be seen
in the glow of the morning dew the tear tracks return
we can even imagine the moss to be her garments
her heart torn as that of the two imperial daughters
who plunged to their deaths in the xiang river
in full lamentation at the death of emperor shun
she now stands motionless midst fragrant herbs
in the driving mist, still waiting for her husband
murphy looking for small weathered rocks to add to his collection
li bai xxx-18
on a winter day i return to my old mountain home
yet to wash the dust of the world from my hat band
i have reached the old heights and smell again the dry fragrance
i walk on the old path fringed by green rattan
a thousand snow capped mountains glitter in the sun
the earth shivers with cold, the trees stand denuded
the clouds linger and will bring rain to the valleys
delicate shoots of bamboo stand near the door to my hut
the tall old trees cast shadows across the river
white dogs barked at me outside the village
blue green moss creeps up the wall of my cell
a single grouse flies up and out of the kitchen
squawking on the roof at my old friend the monkey
you can still see the nests of birds on the leafless trees
the animal paths stand out by the edge of the hedge
i dust off my bed and disturb the marten nesting there
i drop my suitcase disturbing bookworms which writhe around
i clean my inkstone to write an entreaty to the throne
i rap knuckles on the spruce to gain its example of steady duty
when i leave this domicile again it will only be
because i have left to become one of the immortals
murphy setting himself impossible goals, then reaching them
li bai xxx-19
long before in the valley of the yan empire
there were no warm breezes to warm the land
but steep valley walls blocked the killing cold
one day zou yan came here to play his flute
his knowledge fused hearts of heaven and earth
and from that time the valley is warm enough for grain
murphy the cunning old bringer of rain
li bai xxx-20
i travel upriver on the qing xi to gain entry to the mountains, a poem for cui hao
how quickly one travels by boat
i am already into the high forest
i am torn, watching birds and fish
rippling shadows of the mountains
the river, my boat, in different motion
between the high mountains echos resound
the sound of the river takes words from the mind
i enter a stillness, become all the more aware
the inner silence brings pleasure to solitude
i ship the oars, i watch the sun sink away
murphy an animal in the forest
li bai xxx-21
a song for the rising of the sun in the southeast
the beautiful lo fu steps from the qin family home
the sun has reddened the heavens in the southeast
as she watches the sun reaches down into the fields
and into the road where two riders gallop by
bringing out the sweet smell of morning flowers
murphy setting the scene to memory
li bai xxx-22
on behalf of a beautiful young woman i send this verse to one who passed the ju ren exams before me, the honorable weng xan shu
summer was hot and listless, winter has come and gone
my dreams frighten me, keep me from restful sleep
not even for an eye-blink does my heart relax
the world knows of the beautiful scenery in the south
and there are many beautiful women who live where you are
my fear is that you will choose to remain there, and i cannot come
the mighty xi ling river makes travel upriver impossible for me
i pull up the wick of the lamp to end this letter
then look up to distant mountain peaks now hidden by fog
because of you i find it difficult eat the food i need
i won’t write again in the future, but i might feed myself
murphy firing a teacher by finding him a better position
li bai xxx-23
i escort a guest as he leaves to return to wu
the cold rain of autumn has stopped falling
we finish the farewell wine, you will sail away
since you will travel only over the water ways
you will enjoy many long laybys of leisure
the flowered islands in the rivers, full abloom
tender young branches, aswing in the wind
after you leave i am left with nothing but a ride back home
where i go sit on my favorite fishing rock to clear my mind
murphy finding a quietude to calm his spirit
li bai xxx-24
i escort a friend as he leaves for a visit to the yang zi gorges
the winds are calm, the branches of the willows motionless
it is that perfect time of mature spring, when everything blooms
how many years we have spent together, but today we are torn apart
you, to see the wonders of the yang zi gorges, to hear cries of monkeys
you will enjoy the moon rise over those mountains, but alone
so stay a while longer, enjoy this fine wine
think of how strong our friendship
murphy preferring the sweetness of honey which doesn’t cloy
li bai xxx-25
i escort district judge yuan who leaves for his post in chang jiang xian in si chuan
we part now when the pastures are becoming green
please drink wine with me so i can share with you my feelings
you will carry your precious lute traveling the old road
deep into the mountains, the three gorges of the yang zi
the warm wind now brings the trees into bloom
but autumn rains will have come to chang jiang xian
when you take the reins there as district magistrate
dogs will lie quiet at night, all robbers and thieves be removed
murphy known for his short afterdinner speeches
li bai xxx-26
i escort the secretary of the police as he leaves for the encampment of minister cui
from the heights of the ministerial offices
how beautiful the brilliance of phoenix pond
i envy you, you become the crane of the jasper balcony
established now, high in the branches of the gem tree
the weather is warm, you leave to return to chang an
your blessings made real in the song of the wind
you should be pleased at attaining such a position
now, for you, time will move in a graceful dance
i am but a prized bird caught in the net, in the cage of jiu jiang
my life in danger, hanging by a thin silken thread, easily torn
how i wish to fly away, powered by wings of the zhou zhou bitd
he should hold me in his beak and fly me to the banks of the han river
murphy the jester, a raconteur par exellence
li bai xxx-27
the battle to the south of the city wall
battlefield below, scene of chaos
warriors swarming, vast armies of ants
atmosphere heavy, close and muggy
sun red, shining on bloody grass
yesterday those warriors stood on this wall
today they are ghosts, bodies on the field below
battleflags scattered as stars in the sky
the roar of the drums continue the fight
my husband, my son, both lost in the midst
murphy a voyeur of life’s horror
li bai xxx-28
in tartary there are no more people, a song
our troops swelled to hundreds of thousands
to destroy the hun khan zhi zhi in lin tai
in this battle thousands of huns were killed
and the catptured filled the chinese camp
left in the wide cold land, cattle and sheep
the struggle over, tents of our troops taken down
only the water flowing off long mountain remains
the soldiers watch silent as it thunders on past
murphy listening to the gunny sergeant talk about the korean war
li bai xxx-29
do not seek a beauty equal to that of wang qiang
the beauty of the harem of the han emperor yuan di
do not value modesty as much as the daughters of huang gong of qi
because of excessive modesty both were spinsters into bitter old age
remember beautiful wang qiang was forsaken
precisely because of her wond’rous beauty
she was married off, forced to go wandering
living the rough migration life of the hun
beauty and virtue do not insure one’s passage through life
how could i not then uphold the virtue of the worthy man
have you not seen how cao ce, all ungaily ugliness
with his rhetorical skills became a minister of qin
have you also not seen that tian qian qiu with only common talent
become one fine day a minister under han wu di
as if ghosts lifted him to his lucrative, prestigious position
the affairs of these two ministers of state
can be read today in the official chronicles
yet, confucius who wept at seeing the wounded unicorn
faced the poverty of the outcast at his end, despite his worth
the dark of night vitiates the luster of a pearl
is this not cause for lamenting the loss of good men
the best time for acquiring a position is passed
who else should i reach out to
murphy using trickery to ingratiate self
li bai xxx-30
verse written on the hut-wall of hermit xu xuan ping
i found a poem of xu xuan ping on the wall of the postal station
it intrigued me greatly, so i went in search of this immortal genius
i looked for him on the nearby mountains, but i found him not
i moved through thick mists of forest, separated from the skies
i finally find his hut and peer inside, he has gone away
i lean on my staff and think, in limbo of what to do
perhaps he is already a magical crane as ding ling wei became
that crane flew to liao dong, and came back only after a thousand of years
murphy telling fairy stories, made up for the grandkids
li bai xxx-31
i write this verse on the wall of a hill top monastery in hu be
i spend a night at this hill top monastery
on tiptoe i can almost touch the stars
here i speak only in a low whisper
so i don’t disturb the immortals in heaven
murphy a believer in hocus pocus
li bai xxx-32
the rock face is cleaved sharply like a split gourd
a splendor of crashing water erupts in a tumultuous spray
contrasting vividly with the brilliant green of the hillside
it is as if the milky way spews out of the middle of the mountain
white clouds fill the valley of the water course
a stone sits next to the falls with weathered red writing
lifting my robes i climb the countain into the blue firmament
the wind blowing through the pines cooling my exposed feet
murphy determined to see it all
li bai xxx-33
broken verses, fragments of unfinished poems (1 of 2)
the nymph raises her arm so her bracelet shows
she beckons to eat sesame with her, to become immortal
murphy easily duped by feminine charms
li bai xxx-34
broken verses, fragments of unfinished poems (2 of 2)
among the birds in the wild
the cuckoo has a poignant cry
it is said, an ancient king of si chuan
was once transformed into a cuckoo
and perhaps one of the flitting butterfles
is the philosopher zhuang zi dreaming away
murphy seeing spirits in everything
li bai xxx-35
a young girl sings a song for spring
plantains grow along the road in front of my house
cherry blossoms scatter in my little garden
my heart is filled with the loveliness of spring
the world is tuned by the song of birds
murphy with feelings reborn
li bai xxx-36
the grave of the priest within
exaltation of the golden rope
the old buddhist monastery
stately trees shading the jasper pond
a wonderful music heard up in the clouds
the doctrine of buddha, a trombone blown
murphy singing an old country blues
li bai xxx-37
i march far away from my close kin
with the troops for the northern border
i will ask the guards of the towers
when we reach thosee distant yin mountains
whether they have left their relatives behind
murphy long gone from texas
li bai xxx-38
the wide road stretches from south to north
yet i have found it hard to succeed
i have neither golden fruit of the elm tree
nor jade of willow flowers strewn on the ground
dust covers the face of this traveler
yet butterflies adorn hairpins of beautiful girls
i think back to my homestead in the green mountains
that hut made of bamboo, hidden high within the clouds
murphy gearing up for the long projected trek
li bai xxx-39
count yin (11th of his clan) presented me with an inkstone from cheng zhou. you can find a beautiful chestnut jade in the mountains there. this stone is ideal for carving into an ink stone of great beauty and utility.
the revered scholar of the dao, count yin
has given to me an ink stone from cheng zhou
i bathe my brush from zhong shan within
the gloss of the characters now shines on su zhou silk
in the cold of winter water does not freeze on this stone
even with everyday use the well does not deepen
i will use the stone wisely, and vow to make good use of it
to be another wang xi zhi when he was writing in zhe giang
and by writing this i think of you, and your gift here
murphy given much to hyperbole these days
li bai xxx-40
the guo qing monastery is in tian tai xian
one of the famous places of worship in china
but today i arrive at the pu zhao monastery
and find no difference between the two
clouds hover above the cedars of the cloister
a bit of snow shows in the hair of the priest
standing outside the gate by a small stream
how many months and years has he been here
murphy living the placid life of benedictine
li bai xxx-41
the balcony for angling, xun yang tai in an hui
after i use up my ink painting the mo ling mountains
i go angling off xun yang tai for a nice catch of red fish
the ai peak is sharp as a brush tip, and easily depicted
but one should never think of using it for writing
murphy making a small joke to break the ice
li bai xxx-42
the small peach blossom spring
there is a small peach blossom spring in yi xian
whose waters run for many miles hidden in mists
miraculous herbs and trees grow along its meander
and those who choose to live along its shores
still wear robes and caps of ancient times
murphy spreading rumors about miracles
li bai xxx-43
woodcutters, farmers
walking on the mountain
a painted screen
murphy the haikuist
li bai xxx-44
i dedicate this poem to the magistrate of the zhiang you district
the shining mists of the mountains reach down
touching the courtyard of the yamen
the rushing stream flows by near the stairs
swallows nest in the eaves of the bureau
mist rises from the stream filling the hall
at sundown only one official remains
he raises the curtains to gaze on the scene
outside the windows, the jumble of green mounains
the district director sits within the five colored cloud
an immortal, burning incense, reading daoist texts
murphy never having himself seen an aura
li bai xxx-45
two songs “qing ping yo” (1 of 2)
the wings of the oriole in the forbidden city
the plumage of spring, a fresh embroidery
the flowers inviting the ladies of the harem
the competition bringing their bushels of pearls
when evening comes, fresh makeup applied
dancing for the emperor to a ni shang melody
who can say the performance is not graceful
dancers entrancing the emperor, easing his troubles
murphy with his eye out for singular beauty
li bai xxx-46
two songs “qing ping yo” (2 of 2)
on an autumn night, moonlight through the windows
outside, the golden walls of the imperial harem
the incense burner sits nobly by the reservoir
scent of musk, aloe wood, tears dripping from candles
do not bemoan sleeping alone in your quarters
three thousand beautiful women are all around
as long as one laughs, that’s the best of all stimuli
who will it be that warms the emperor’s heart
murphy with a ready eye for the ladies
li bai xxx-47
three songs “qing ting yo” (1 of 3)
dense mountain fogs, wide rivers
words from my husband cannot reach me
only the moon shows in the dark sky above
looking down on sorrowful yearning
my entire day taken up with sad thoughts
my frown marks difficult to erase
every night, half the blanket for my husband
in desire for him to be there in my dreams
murphy told to go away for a year, and then come back
li bai xxx-48
three songs “qing ting yo” (2 of 3)
i always sleep alone through each long night
under the phoenix pair embroidered duvet
scorned by the red candles dripping wax
taunting me with their unstoppable tears
the moment of youth and beauty, flowers quickly fade
my man has left me, traveling to the xiao and xiang rivers
lying on cushions, listening to the waterclock drip
my heart torn to shreds by the tiny, persistent plops
murphy always left in the kitchen to dry the dishes
li bai xxx-49
three songs “qing ting yo” (3 of 3)
in the morning i rise from my bed in the painted hall
a maid comes to say snow has fallen during the night
i roll the wndow curtains high, look out on luck-bringing snow
whiteness covers everything, even the stairs have disappeared
the glittering landscape is cold, i build a fire in the oven, smoke rises
ice crystals on the plants glisten like gemstones hanging from my sash
one would think the immortals in the heavens in a fit of whimsy
macerated the white clouds into this miraculous coating of snowflakes
murphy always and forever an animist
li bai xxx-50
autumn in chang an, the gui dian palace
the fairy shuang dong cheng came down from the heavens
during the cold of night playing her pan pipes of jade
after her playing she turned and flew away
back with her pages to their heavens above
after her playing, only the pale radiance of the moon
above the countless windows and doors in forbidden city
the mermaid of the milky way, her face a molten jade
showering down on us, from her place above the clouds
then quickly disappearing without a sound, into the nine heavens
leaving only the barest of scents rising from her sash
murphy telling old fables to his class
li bai xxx-51
two trees with interwoven branches (1 of 2)
snow bedecks the palace, the windows closed
golden headdresses blurred by silk curtains
the palace women with their kingfisher feathers
thick snowflakes, a fluffy pile on the balustrade
first fragrant buds of plum trees, still tender
tips of branches sagging with their fresh coat of snow
a metal lion spews the musk of its incense, burning inside
thick clouds of the smoke brushed over the red silk quilt
elaborate kingfisher fans, feathers flailing the air
murphy sketching in the scene
li bai xxx-52
two trees with interwoven branches (2 of 2)
her train, embroidered brilliant flowers
her tears, emptiness of her bed
the emperor nearby, no longer visits
his favor gone, miles and miles away
a palace woman must look through bamboo
to see what lies outside the beaded curtains
in the cold, waiting for his battering ram car
and he will still not come, always
murphy looking through a mist of grey window