BY LI T'AI-PO

I bid you good-bye, my friend, as you are going on an excursion to the Plum-Flower Lake.

You should see the plum-blossoms open;

It is understood that you hire a person to bring me some.

You must not permit the rose-red fragrance to fade.

You will only be at the New Forest Reach a little time,

Since we have agreed to drink at the City of the Golden Mound at full moon.

Nevertheless you must not omit the wild-goose letter,

Or else our knowledge of each other will be as the dust of Hu to the dust of Yüeh.