Short Poems

Drunk I lie asleep,
what if the boat floats downstream?
Moor the boat, moor the boat!
Peach Blossom Spring is near,
pink petals leap on the stream.
Chigukch'ong chigukch'ong osawa.
I am far away from red dust—
the world of men.

What will the mood of the sky be?
Winds and storm may rise at night.
Drop anchor, drop anchor!
Who said that a boat swings by itself
at the ferry landing?
Chigukch'ong chigukch'ong osawa.
Lovely are the hidden plants
growing along mountain torrents.

Look! My snail-shell hut
with white clouds all around.
Bring the boat ashore, bring the boat ashore!
Let's climb the stone path
with bulrush fan in hand.
Chigukch'ong chigukch'ong osawa.
O idle life of an old angler,
this is my work, this is my life.

Mend your fishing line and rod,
repair the boat with bamboo sheets.
Hoist anchor, hoist anchor!
They say the nets on the Hsiao and Hsiang
and the Tungt'ing Lake freeze.
Chigukch'ong chigukch'ong osawa.
At this time no place is
better than our waters.

I want to admire the dawn moon
from a stone cave in the pine grove.
Bring the boat ashore, bring the boat ashore!
But the path in the empty hills
is hidden by fallen leaves.
Chigukch'ong chigukch'ong osawa.
Since the white clouds, too, follow me,
O heavy is the sedge cape!

Frost falls on my clothes:
I am not cold.
Drop anchor, drop anchor!
Don't complain that the boat is narrow;
compare it instead to the floating world.
Chigukch'ong chigukch'ong osawa.
We'll live this way
tomorrow and ever.

Where is it, where am I?
Are heaven and earth separate?
Moor the boat, moor the boat!
Since the west wind's dust can't reach us,
why fan off the empty air?
Chigukch'ong chigukch'ong osawa.
Further, since I have heard no words,
why should I bother to wash my ears?

A scatter of silver dews;
the bright moon rises.
Stop the boat, stop the boat!
Far and foggy is the Phoenix Tower,
to whom should I give this clear light?
Chigukch'ong chigukch'ong osawa.
The jade hare pounds the magic pills;
would I could feed them to heroes.

Gently, the side wind blowing,
we return with sail lowered.
Lower sail, lower sail!
Darkness is overcoming the day,
but clear delight lingers.
Chigukch'ong chigukch'ong osawa.
Who can tire of
the red trees and crystal waters?

Silver scales and jade scales,
did I have a good catch today?
Row away, row away!
Let's build a fire of reed bushes,
broil the fishes one by one.
Chigukch'ong chigukch'ong osawa.
Pour wine from a crock jar
filling up my gourd cup!