by strannikov
Liu Ch'e's lament for Li Furen
in her silk sleeves is silence sheathed.
each jade tile sprouts jade dust.
in this room soundless cold.
leaves in fallen piles bar the door.
could her consummate soul hide here?
can she hear my heart hold its breath?
= = = = =
grievance from the jade staircase
why, look! the jade stairs sprouted pearls hours ago
—half the night gone, my gauze stockings are soaked through!
once home, I lower my glistening reed blinds—
the autumn moon the brightest white pearl of dew.
= = = = =
her beautiful toilet
grass waves blue by a river blue.
in a willow garden lush shade
drapes dark the young woman's small house
with the lone window, the white door.
the beauty powders her face red
lightly lightly with her white hand.
after the courtesans' house—here,
ignored wife of dissolute lout,
absent, missing dissolute lout
who left behind an empty bed.
= = = = =
the friends' leavetaking
where the peaks north of town turn blue
from where their white water bends east—
that spot is where we both depart:
one, dry grass blown ten thousand miles,
mind and soul of an aimless cloud,
the other, too sad for sunset.
hands barely get lifted in wave:
two horses neigh, turn heads, take paths.
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Invited, challenged, provoked, or tempted by A. C. Graham, here is this.
(Courtesy of Li Bai and Ernest Fenollosa, I posted the "staircase grievance" piece for contrast. Thanks to Zhaoming Qian for the transcripts.)
("her beautiful toilet" and "the friends' leavetaking" I only posted with "various verses" [Fictionaut, Tuesday, 13 February 2018], I've copied them here since they emerged also from Fenollosa's notes as transcribed by Zhaoming Qian.)
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Striking detail. Out-Pounds Pound's, gender inversion notwithstanding.
Nicely done.
"leaves in fallen piles bar the door." *
Your work always expands my world.
Stunning economy.
The line stops are effective.
The silence, dust and cold, piles of leaves, and door. Good piem, Edward.
Oh, so lovely to read and read again!
Enjoyment.