Part 4 (2/2)

Ah me! my body's but a fragile vessel Upon the ever-moving sea of life, Where light and shade and fitful joys and sorrows Control me in their everchanging strife.

[6] The name of a large feudal State in the Cheu Dynasty; it included Hupeh and Hunan and parts of Honan and Kiangsu. King-chow on the Yangtze was the capital.

_The Happy Farmer_

BY CHU Kw.a.n.g-HI

T'ANG DYNASTY

I've a hundred mulberry trees And thirty 'mow' of grain, With sufficient food and clothes, And friends my wine to drain.

The fragrant grain of 'Ku-mi' seed Provides our Summer fare; Our Autumn brew of aster wine Is rich beyond compare.

My goodwife comes with smiling face To welcome all our guests; My children run with willing feet To carry my behests.

When work is done and evening come, We saunter to the park, And there, 'neath elm and willow trees We're blithe as soaring lark.

With wine and song the hours fly by Till each in cloudland roams, And then, content with all the world, We wander to our homes.

Through lattice-window steals a breeze, As on my couch I lie, While overhead the 'Silver Stream'

Flows through a splendid sky.

And as I gaze it comes to mind-- A dozen jars at least Of the aster-scented wine remain To grace to-morrow's feast.

_An Old House Unroofed by an Autumn Gale_

BY TU FU

T'ANG DYNASTY

The roof of my house has been blown away By the fiercest of Autumn winds to-day; It was merely of gra.s.s and branches built-- Yet my only shelter save a wadded quilt.

Across the river it scurried and whirled, In tangled tufts, by the hurricane hurled, Ascending in gusts till caught by the trees, Or falling in ponds and on furrowed leas.

In great delight the village urchins shout, And say I'm old and cannot run about; And now before my face the rogues begin To steal things, and then run away and grin.

At last I drive them off and hobble back To find my home is shelterless, alack!

My lips are parched, my tongue is stiff and dry; My strength is gone, I can but rest and sigh.

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