Chinese Poems Part 6

And I such signs discerning Think of you, husband dear, And long for your home-coming From marches long and drear.

Why do you longer tarry In such a distant place?

Think of my lonely vigils, Sad thoughts and tear-stained face!

The harp I often finger, And try to sing a song; But soon I sigh and falter, And for your coming long.

The Moon's pure light is s.h.i.+ning Upon my lonely bed; The 'Star-Stream's'[18] westward flowing, The night is not far sped.

The Cowherd and the Spinning-Girl[19]

Lament the doom that bars The meeting of true lovers, Across the Stream of Stars.

What folly did they ponder To meet so dire a fate?

I wonder if we also Are doomed to trial as great!

[17] In this poem the thoughts of a woman, whose husband is engaged in the wars beyond the frontier, are described by the poet.

[18] The Milky Way.

[19] K'ien-Niu (Cowherd) and Chih-Nu (Spinning-Girl) are the names of two stars and, according to a Chinese legend, these two stars are lovers doomed to gaze at each other across the wide 'River of Stars'; i.e. the Milky Way, but never meet. According to one version of the legend, however, the lovers are allowed to meet once a year, on the seventh night of the Seventh Month, when birds form a bridge over the 'River of Stars' to enable the Spinning-Girl to meet her lover.

_Farewell to a Comrade_

BY CHEN KIA-CHOW

T'ANG DYNASTY

Cold gusts from Arctic regions sweep the ground, And snowflakes countless fly through the wintry sky, Covering with spotless robe the earth around, While snow flowers frail on twigs and branches lie.

As when a genial breeze in early Spring Shakes open all the pear-trees' blossoms white, And sombre-looking trees with leafless boughs Are decked with radiance in a single night.

Through crevices and slits in bamboo blinds, Which s.h.i.+eld the entrance to our hempen tent, Snow-whirls and keen winds blow and chill the blood, In spite of furs and wadded garments blent.

Cold so intense is felt by all alike-- The General cannot stretch his horn-tipped bow, In coats of mail the Captains stiffly move, While soldiers growl or mutter curses low.

Far off the desert stretches as a sea, In frozen ridges like to driven clouds, Alas, the mult.i.tudes of warriors brave The pathless waste of cruel sand enshrouds!

But now our happy comrade homeward turns, We'll drink his health to sound of viol and flute, And see him safely on his journey start; Another cup, and then the old salute!

Falls thick the snow around the fortress walls, The red flag frozen stirs not in the air, As forth we ride from out the Eastern gate,-- In jostling groups, or quietly pair by pair.

Nearing the Tien-shan[20] road we draw in rein, To bid our comrade there a last farewell, And watch him upward climb the mountain path To peaks that touch the clouds where genii dwell.[21]

But soon the winding path conceals from view The fading hors.e.m.e.n as they upward wend; All we now see are footprints in the snow, As 'ih-lu fuh-sing'[22] we towards them send.

[20] The Tien Mountains; in many books of geography erroneously described as Tien-Shan Mountains.

[21] According to Chinese mythology, the top of the Tien Mountains touch heaven and are the abode of the genii.

[22] May the Star of Happiness accompany you to the end of the journey.

_Beauty's Fatal Snare_[23]

BY LI HAN-LIN

T'ANG DYNASTY

The ravens roost upon the towers of Su, While revels reign within the Court of Wu; The rustic Si-s.h.i.+ with her peerless face, Her slender form, her witching smile and grace.

Inflamed by wine, she now begins to sing The songs of Wu to please the fatuous king; And in the dance of Tsu she subtly blends All rhythmic movements to her sensuous ends.

Si-s.h.i.+ o'er Wu her spell has surely cast, The King of Yueh has snared his foe at last; With wine, and song, and dance, the hours fly by: The water-clock[24] has dripped till almost dry.

Behind the hills appears the flush of dawn, Beyond the river sinks the moon forlorn; And now the sun climbs up the towers of Su; What of the revellers in the Halls of Wu!

[23] The Prince of Yueh wis.h.i.+ng to ruin his rival, the Prince of Wu, presented to him a very beautiful girl, named Si-s.h.i.+, who had been taught all feminine accomplishments. Fu-Ch'a, the Prince of Wu, fell into the snare, and besotted by dissolute pleasures, became an easy victim to the Prince of Yueh who annexed the State of Wu to his own dominions. After his defeat Fu-Ch'a committed suicide.

[24] Time was measured by the clepsydra, and the expression indicates that the night was far spent and dawn near.

_A Reverie in a Summer-house_

BY MENG HAO-RAN

T'ANG DYNASTY (A.D. 618-905)

The daylight fades behind the Western Mountains, And in the east is seen the rising moon, Which faintly mirrored in the garden fountains Foretells that night and dreams are coming soon.

With window open--hair unloosed and flowing,[25]

I lie in restful ease upon my bed; The evening breeze across the lilies blowing With fragrant coolness falls upon my head.

And in the solemn stillness--all-prevailing, The fall of dewdrops from the tall bamboos-- Which grow in graceful rows along the railing-- Sounds through the silence soft as dove's faint coos.

On such an eve as this I would be singing, And playing plaintive tunes upon the lute, And thus to mind old friends and pleasures bringing; But none are here to join with harp and flute!

So in a pleasant stillness I lie dreaming Of bygone days and trusty friends of old, Among whom Sin-tze's[26] happy face is beaming; I would my thoughts could now to him be told.

[25] In ancient times the hair was worn long and knotted on the top of the head.