TO THE EMPEROR
WITH THIS I SEND A MIRROR ... IT IS PURE ROUND AND IT IS CLEAR WHITE, TO REMIND YOU OF THE MOON WE GAZED AT WHEN WE WERE LAST TOGETHER IN THE GARDEN.
MAY IT ALWAYS STAY WITH YOU, AND MAY IT STIR SWEET MEMORIES.
BUT I KNOW: BY AUTUMN YOU WILL CAST IT ASIDE FOR SOMETHING NEW, AS YOU HAVE CAST ASIDE ITS LOVING SENDER. [The emperor’s favorite, Pan Tie tsu]
WHEN THE SWALLOWS RETURNED
WHEN THE SWALLOWS RETURNED LAST YEAR THEY MADE THEIR NEST IN THE EMBROIDERY ROOM. THEY GATHERED CLAY FROM THE FLOWER-GARDEN, AND SCATTERED DUST OVER HARP AND BOOKS.
WHEN THE SWALLOWS RETURNED THIS YEAR, NO ONE HEARD THEIR TWITTERING SPEECH. SHE WHO HAD ROLLED UP THE SCREEN FOR THEM WAS THERE NO MORE.... IN THE AMBER TWILIGHT A SOFT-PATTERING RAIN. [Hsin Ch’i-chi]
THE WORLD AROUND US
DREAD LORD, DO NOT WAVE YOUR SCEPTER: IT IS BEJEWELED. DEAR DANCER, DO NOT WHIRL YOUR SCARVES: THEY ARE ORCHID-FLOWERED. PALE POET, DO NOT FLAUNT YOUR HEART: IT IS RADIANT WITH LOVE.
OUR WORLD CARES ONLY FOR UNENCHANTED THINGS. [Li Po]