Upon the Levees of Jingzhu
荊 渚 堤 上
原 田 何 莓 莓
野 水 乱 平 楚。
大 堤 少 人 行
谁 马 艺 稷 黍。
独 木 且 百 岁
骯 髒 立 水 浒。
当 年 识 兵 烬
见 赦 几 樵 斧。
摩 挲 欲 问 讯
恨 汝 不 能 语。
薄 暮 有 底 忙
沙 头 听 鸣 櫓。
Jin Zhu Di Shang
Yuan tian he mei mei
Ye shui luan ping chu.
Da di shao ren xing
Shei ma yi ji shu.
Du mu qie bai sui
Ang zang li shui hu.
Dang nian shi bing jin
Jian she ji qiao fu.
Hen ru bu neng yu.
Bo mu you di mang
Sha tou ting ming lu.
Upon the Levees of Jingzhu
Uncultivated fields with a few berry vines
Chu open country with disordered waters at several different levels.
Long embankments with very few travelers
Who have the intent and skill to plant millet for food.
One single tree here of one hundred years of age
Standing within the foul and filthy stagnant lake water.
Over the years it has witnessed the weapons and ashes of warfare
Watched it’s tree-neighbors fall from the axes of firewood gatherers.
Gently stroke it’s bark, then inquire if it has any desires
Not able to speak, I can feel your regrets.
Thin sunsets, boat people get busy getting ready to catch the winds
From sandy shoals hear their oars splash and the birds cry out loud.