by T'ao Ch'ien (365 - 427)
Translation by Arthur Waley (1889 - 1969)

New Corn
Language: English  after the Chinese (中文) 
Swiftly the years, beyond recall.
Solemn the stillness of this fair morning.
I will clothe myself in spring-clothing
And visit the slopes of the Eastern Hill.
By the mountain-stream a mist hovers,
Hovers a moment, then scatters.
There comes a wind blowing from the south
That brushes the fields of new corn.

Please note: this text, provided here for educational and research use, is in the public domain in Canada and the U.S., but it may still be copyright in other legal jurisdictions. The LiederNet Archive makes no guarantee that the above text is public domain in your country. Please consult your country's copyright statutes or a qualified IP attorney to verify whether a certain text is in the public domain in your country or if downloading or distributing a copy constitutes fair use. The LiederNet Archive assumes no legal responsibility or liability for the copyright compliance of third parties.

Confirmed with Arthur Waley, A Hundred and Seventy Chinese Poems, London: Constable, 1918.


Text Authorship:

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Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:

  • Also set in French (Français), a translation by L. Lemierre ; composed by Blair Fairchild.

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2021-10-17
Line count: 8
Word count: 52