IN A PAVILION ALL PORCELAIN SHE SITS AMONG HER MAIDENS ... BRIGHT LILY AMONG PLAIN LEAVES. HER FAN FLOATS BACK AND FORTH WEARILY LIKE A WAVING LEAF. HER LORD STAYS TOO LONG AWAY.
PERFUME IS ON THE BREEZE ... AN OPEN WINDOW IN THE COUNCIL-ROOM. THE EMPEROR DREAMS: SHE IS FANNING ME THE FLAVOR OF HER LIPS. HE RISES, GLITTERING WITH JEWELS, AND SLOWLY WALKS, WALKS TO THE PORCELAIN PAVILION. THE GRAVE COUNSELORS ARE LEFT, LOOKING AT EACH OTHER IN SUDDEN SILENCE. [Tu Fu]
THE ENCOUNTER
THEY MET. THEIR EYES MET IN SHINING DUST AT THE CAPITAL. HE RAISED HIS RIDING-CROP IN GOLDEN GREETING. “OF ALL THOSE TEN THOUSAND HOUSES BY THE WILLOWED RIVER, FAIR SWEET LADY, WHICH IS THE LITTLE ONE YOU CALL HOME?” [Li Po]
THE BREATH OF SPRING
THE BREATH OF SPRING IS EVERYWHERE, IN EVERY FACE. THE MIMOSA CASTS ITS DELICATE SHADOWS ... MY DREAMS ARE BUTTERFLIES ... THE FRAGRANCE OF THE QUINCE INTOXICATES LIKE WINE.
BUT I PLUCK THE WILLOW OF SORROW. A GULF DIVIDES US, AND THERE IS NO FAIRY BRIDGE OF BIRDS TO CARRY ME ACROSS.
I WEEP ALONE BEFORE MY SILVER LAMP AND GROW FRAIL AS HSIAO YAN THE SLENDER BEAUTY. WHEN SHALL WE SHARE A NIGHT LIKE THIS, A SPRING NIGHT LIKE THIS, AND MEET TOGETHER UNDER A FULL MOON? [Anonymous]
JADE FLOWER PALACE
HERE BY THE WINDING STREAMLET, AMONG THE SIGHING WINDS, OLD GRAY MICE SCURRY OVER THE ROOF-TILES. NO ONE ANY MORE REMEMBERS THE PRINCE’S NAME WHO BUILT THIS PALACE UNDER OVERHANGING CLIFFS.