Owl
by Frank Watson
Owl, Owl—
Who seized my eggs
And fouled my nest.

Mercy, mercy—please,
I mourn these eggs I reared,
And how I toiled in the breeze,
To leave when the sky had cleared
And dig the mulberry twigs
To tie them to the window rigs.

How their ridicule shows,
Those people down below:
My claw’s a labored patch,
Eroded from relentless thatch,
And all that I have stored
Has made my beak so sore,
But it’s gone—the nest that I adored.

Feathers flapped,
Tail’s capped:
A howl till I collapse.

Original Chinese

Traditional
Simplified
Pronunciation
鴟梟
鸱枭
chī xiāo



鴟梟鴟梟，
鸱枭鸱枭，
chī xiāo chī xiāo ，
既取我子，
既取我子，
jì qǔ wǒ zǐ ，
無毀我室。
无毁我室。
wú huǐ wǒ shì 。
恩斯勤斯，
恩斯勤斯，
ēn sī qín sī ，
鬻子之閔斯！
鬻子之闵斯！
yù zǐ zhī mǐn sī ！
迨天之未陰雨，
迨天之未阴雨，
dài tiān zhī wèi yīn yǔ ，
徹彼桑土，
彻彼桑土，
chè bǐ sāng tǔ ，
綢繆牖戶。
绸缪牖户。
chóu móu yǒu hù 。
今此下民，
今此下民，
jīn cǐ xià mín ，
或敢侮予？
或敢侮予？
huò gǎn wǔ yú ？
予手拮據，
予手拮据，
yú shǒu jié jù ，
予所捋荼，
予所捋荼，
yú suǒ luō tú ，
予所畜租，
予所畜租，
yú suǒ xù zū ，
予口卒瘏，
予口卒瘏，
yú kǒu zú tú ，
曰予未有室家！
曰予未有室家！
yuē yú wèi yǒu shì jiā ！
予羽譙譙，
予羽谯谯，
yú yǔ qiáo qiáo ，
予尾修修，
予尾修修，
yú wěi xiū xiū ，
予室翹翹，
予室翘翘，
yú shì qiáo qiáo ，
風雨所漂搖，
风雨所漂摇，
fēng yǔ suǒ piāo yáo ，
予維音嘵嘵！
予维音哓哓！
yú wéi yīn xiāo xiāo！





Translation Notes


鴟梟
Horned-owl owl


鴟梟鴟梟，
Horned-owl owl horned-owl owl,
既取我子，
Both took my egg,
無毀我室。
No ruin my house.
恩斯勤斯，
Mercy thus diligent thus,
鬻子之閔斯！
Rear egg him mourn thus,
迨天之未陰雨，
Take-advantage-of sky ’s not-yet cloudy rain,
徹彼桑土，
Penetrate that mulberry-tree soil,
綢繆牖戶。
Silk-cloth wind-around window door.
[Silk-cloth wind-around = sentimentally attached to something]
今此下民，
Now these down people,
或敢侮予？
Maybe dare ridicule me?
予手拮據，
I hand laboring to-occupy,
[Laboring to-occupy = hard pressed]
予所捋荼，
I that-which to-pluck bitter-vegetables,
予所畜租，
I that-which livestock rent,
予口卒瘏，
I mouth die injured,
曰予未有室家！
Say I not-yet have room house!
予羽譙譙，
I feather qiao qiao,
[Qiao qiao = sound of the feathers flapping, also means “ridicule.”]
予尾修修，
I tail xiu xiu,
[Xiu xiu = sounds of the tail moving, also means “decorate”]
予室翹翹，
I house qiao qiao,
[Qiao qiao = could be a sound or meaning “turn up”]
風雨所漂搖，
Wind rain that-which float shake,
予維音嘵嘵！
I maintain sound xiao xiao!
[Xiao xiao = a cry of alarm, a bleak, miserable sound]

All writings and translations are Copyright © by Frank Watson, also writing as "Blue Flute" (2011-2014).
Year: 
2013