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BRINGING IN THE WINE

See how the Yellow River’s waters move out of heaven.
Entering the ocean, never to return.
See how lovely locks in bright mirrors in high chambers,
Though silken-black at morning, have changed by night to snow.
…Oh, let a man of spirit venture where he pleases
And never tip his golden cup empty toward the moon!
Since heaven gave the talent, let it be employed!
Spin a thousand pieces of silver, all of them come back!
Cook a sheep, kill a cow, whet the appetite,
And make me, of three hundred bowls, one long drink!
…To the old master, Cen,
And the young scholar, Danqiu,
Bring in the wine!
Let your cups never rest!
Let me sing you a song!
Let your ears attend!
What are bell and drum, rare dishes and treasure?
Let me be forever drunk and never come to reason!
Sober men of olden days and sages are forgotten,
And only the great drinkers are famous for all time.
…Prince Chen paid at a banquet in the Palace of Perfection
Ten thousand coins for a cask of wine, with many a laugh and quip.
Why say, my host, that your money is gone?
Go and buy wine and we’ll drink it together!
My flower-dappled horse,
My furs worth a thousand,
Hand them to the boy to exchange for good wine,
And we’ll drown away the woes of ten thousand generations!

Roy – oh, come on; the line breaks are implied by the original. I’m not a big fan of indentation (unless it’s e.e. cummings), but it seemed to work here. There are some awkward phrases that I’d like to try to smooth out, though, and it’d be nice if I could get it to rhyme loosely, though that may be too much to hope for.

Jeremy – 造反有理。

Gran – I’m planning on doing some poems by Bai Juyi next – “Bemoaning My Old Age: Three Poems.”

Should we expect daily updates from now on? That would be an almost superhuman feat for you… :)