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THE YELLOW CRANE TERRACE Where long ago a yellow crane bore a sage to heaven, Nothing is left now but the Yellow Crane Terrace. The yellow crane never revisited earth, And white clouds are flying without him for ever. Every tree in Hanyang becomes clear in the water, And Parrot Island is a nest of sweet grasses; But I look toward home, and twilight grows dark With a mist of grief on the river waves.
THE TEMPLE OF THE PREMIER OF SHU
Where is the temple of the famous Premier? In a deep pine grove near the City of Silk, With the green grass of spring colouring the steps, And birds chirping happily under the leaves. The third summons weighted him with affairs of state And to two generations he gave his true heart, But before he could conquer, he was dead; And heroes have wept on their coats ever since.
POETIC THOUGHTS ON ANCIENT SITES IV
The ruler of Shu had his eyes on Wu and progressed as far as the Three Gorges.
In the year of his demise, too, he was in the Palace of Eternal Peace.
The blue-green banners can be imagined on the empty mountain,
The jade palace is a void in the deserted temple.
In the pines of the ancient shrine aquatic cranes nest;
At summer and winter festivals the comers are village elders.
The Martial Marquis's memorial shrine is ever nearby;
In union, sovereign and minister share the sacrifices together.
THOUGHTS OF OLD TIME V
Zhuge's prestige transcends the earth;
There is only reverence for his face;
Yet his will, among the Three Kingdoms at war,
Was only as one feather against a flaming sky.
He was brother of men like Yi and Lv
And in time would have surpassed the greatest of all statesmen.
Though he knew there was no hope for the House of Han,
Yet he wielded his mind for it, yielded his life.
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