by Tzu Yeh Shi
Translation by Arthur Waley (1889 - 1969)

At the time when blossoms
Language: English  after the Chinese (中文) 
At the time when blossoms
Fall from the cherry-tree:
On a day when yellow birds
Hovered in the branches —
You said you must stop,
Because your horse was tired:
I said I must go,
Because my silkworms were hungry.

All night I could not sleep
Because of the moonlight on my bed.
I kept on hearing a voice calling:
Out of Nowhere, Nothing answered "yes."

I will carry my coat and not put on my belt;
With unpainted eyebrows I will stand at the front window.
My tiresome petticoat keeps on flapping about;
If it opens a little, I shall blame the spring wind.

I heard my love was going to Yang-chou
And went with him as far as Ch'u-shan.
For a moment when you held me fast in your outstretched arms
I thought the river stood still and did not flow.

I have brought my pillow and am lying at the northern window,
So come to me and play with me awhile.
With so much quarrelling and so few kisses
How long do you think our love can last?

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Confirmed with A Hundred and Seventy Chinese Poems translated by Arthur Waley, New York, Alfred A. Knopf, 1919.


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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2022-01-30
Line count: 24
Word count: 181