Grave-Sweeping Day
Early April brings constant rain
travelers take to the road in their private pain
I ask where a tavern might be found
a shepherd points to a far apricot blossom town
清明
清明时节雨纷纷
路上行人欲断魂
借问酒家何处有
牧童遥指杏花村
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Passing Huaqing Palace
From Chang’an looking back at the brocaded city
the mountaintop’s many gates open one by one
a rider kicks up red dust and the concubine laughs
no one else knows he comes to bring her lychee
过华清宫
长安回望绣城堆
山顶千门次第开
一骑红尘妃子笑
无人知是荔枝来
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Gift Poem (Second of Two)
Full of emotion but withdrawn
facing our cups of wine our smiles fail
the candle feels the same and hates to part
it substitutes for tears until the dawn
赠别二首 （其二）
多情却似总无情
唯觉樽前笑不成
蜡烛有心还惜别
替人垂泪到天明
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Jiangnan Spring
Miles of oriole songs and red blooming from green
past the mountain hamlet’s walls a tavern’s flag in the wind
the four-hundred-eighty temples of the Southern Dynasty
in the mist and rain their many towers can be seen
江南春
千里莺啼绿映红
水村山郭酒旗风
南朝四百八十寺
多少楼台烟雨中
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At Red Cliff
A bent halberd buried in sand yet no worse for wear
rubbing it clean I see the dynasty before
if the eastern wind had not come to General Zhoulang’s aid
the two Qiao daughters would be locked deep in Tongque Tower
赤壁
折戟沉沙铁未销
自将磨洗认前朝
东风不与周郎便
铜雀春深锁二乔
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Anchoring on the Qinhuai
Moonlight enshrouds the sand and mists enshroud cold water
that night near a tavern on the Qinhuai we put down anchor
this singing girl has never known the pain of a conquered nation
her song Flowers in the Courtyard cuts across the river
泊秦淮
烟笼寒水月笼沙
夜泊秦淮近酒家
商女不知亡国恨
隔江犹唱《后庭花》
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Mountain Travel
Cold mountain distances on a tilted stone-paved path
deep in the white clouds are people’s houses
stopping the cart to admire the maple forest at this late hour
the frosted leaves as red as February flowers
山行
远上寒山石径斜
白云深处有人家
停车坐爱枫林晚
霜叶红于二月花
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