NO, IT IS OVER NOW AND FINISHED. TODAY HE GOES AWAY. EVEN IF I SANG THE SWEET STAY-BY-ME SONG TO HIM TEN THOUSAND TIMES, HE WOULD NOT STAY. MY THOUGHTS MUST TRAVEL THE LONG ROAD TO THE SOUTH COUNTRY: HIS COUNTRY, VERY FAR AWAY.
SEE THE MIST AROUND MY PAVILION: BEFORE MY EYES THERE IS MIST ALL ABOUT. IT IS THE IMAGE OF MY SADNESS, THE REFLECTION OF MY DULL, STILL EYES. FOREVER WILL MY DULL EYES STARE AT YOU, PALE MIST, MY EYES THAT NEVER WILL LIGHT UP AGAIN. [Li Yi-hang]
THE WILLOW LEAF
THAT MAIDEN, DREAMING AT HER WINDOW-LEDGE, LEANING ON HER SOFT WHITE ARMS ... I DO NOT LOVE HER FOR HER GREAT MANSION ON THE SHORE OF THE YELLOW RIVER. I LOVE HER BECAUSE SHE HAS LET FALL, FLOATING DOWN INTO THE STREAM, A LITTLE WILLOW LEAF.
I DO NOT LOVE THE EAST WIND BECAUSE IT CARRIES TO ME THE SCENT OF THOSE PEACH-TREES THAT ARE LIKE SNOW ON THE MOUNTAINS. I LOVE IT BECAUSE IT HAS CARRIED THE LITTLE WILLOW LEAF TO MY BOAT.
AND THE LITTLE WILLOW LEAF ... I DO NOT LOVE IT BECAUSE IT REMINDS ME THAT SOFT SPRING HAS COME AGAIN. I LOVE IT BECAUSE THE DREAMING MAIDEN HAS PICKED A NAME ON IT WITH HER NEEDLE, AND BECAUSE THAT NAME IS MINE. [Chan Tiu-lin]
AN UNHAPPY TIME
THE HOURS PASS.... THE PHOENIX FLIES AND FLIES FROM HOME. STARLINGS AND SPARROWS BUILD THEIR NESTS IN THE ALTAR OF OUR ANCESTRAL HALL. MAGNOLIAS REACH OUT THEIR TENDRILS.... THE JUNGLE SEIZES THEM, THEY PERISH ENTANGLED. RANCID SMELLS DRIVE OUT SWEET FRAGRANCES. EVERYWHERE THE EVIL PRINCIPLE HAS DISPOSSESSED THE GOOD.
THIS IS THE TIME OF BADNESS.... LOYAL, BUT IN DESPAIR, I BEGIN MY JOURNEYS OF EXILE. [Chu Yuan]