Part 17 (1/2)

In old days those who went to fight In three years had one year's leave.

But in _this_ war the soldiers are never changed; They must go on fighting till they die on the battle-field.

I thought of you, so weak and indolent, Hopelessly trying to learn to march and drill.

That a young man should ever come home again Seemed about as likely as that the sky should fall.

Since I got the news that you were coming back, Twice I have mounted to the high hall of your home.

I found your brother mending your horse's stall; I found your mother sewing your new clothes.

I am half afraid; perhaps it is not true; Yet I never weary of watching for you on the road.

Each day I go out at the City Gate With a flask of wine, lest you should come thirsty.

Oh that I could shrink the surface of the World, So that suddenly I might find you standing at my side.

[67] THE SOUTH

In the southern land many birds sing; Of towns and cities half are unwalled.

The country markets are thronged by wild tribes; The mountain-villages bear river-names.

Poisonous mists rise from the damp sands; Strange fires gleam through the night-rain.

And none pa.s.ses but the lonely fisher of pearls.

Year by year on his way to the South Sea.

OU-YANG HSIU

[_b. 1007; d. 1072_]

[68] AUTUMN

Master Ou-yang was reading his books[1] at night when he heard a strange sound coming from the north-west. He paused and listened intently, saying to himself: ”How strange, how strange!” First there was a pattering and rustling; but suddenly this broke into a great churning and cras.h.i.+ng, like the noise of waves that wake the traveller at night, when wind and rain suddenly come; and where they lash the s.h.i.+p, there is a jangling and clanging as of metal against metal.

[1] The poem was written in 1052, when Ou-yang was finis.h.i.+ng his ”New History of the T'ang Dynasty.”

Or again, like the sound of soldiers going to battle, who march swiftly with their gags[2] between their teeth, when the captain's voice cannot be heard, but only the tramp of horses and men moving.

[2] Pieces of wood put in their mouths to prevent their talking.

I called to my boy, bidding him go out and see what noise this could be.

The boy said: ”The moon and stars are s.h.i.+ning; the Milky Way glitters in the sky. Nowhere is there any noise of men. The noise must be in the trees.”