O1
With what I must measure you, Mother?
Your infinite depth and weight
When Yahweh hovering above you,
Did He bless you with his years?
Your sacred sovereign blue mass
Contains all the past and future
And the living and dead on earth
Must embrace you as their home.

O2
Vast, your limit stretches into sky
And deep, there are worlds beneath
Continents are sketched out by your hands
Peaks and rivers, you support and collect
Sun gives you warmth and golden glare
And moon draws your mood and tide
Rain and clouds you create and spread
All life on earth are waiting for your bless.

O3
Yet, silence and roars both your voice
Peace and chaos your unpredicted ways
In your realms of shallow and deep
We always taste bitterness and salt
And heroes drift across your worlds
To obtain battles and fall in your toil
All lovers of voyagers on your beach
They kneel down and pray in tears.

O4
Ah, time travels beyond your space
A weary journey that seems eternal
But our prime always too short to last
How we strive for victory and home
Fate, gods’ orders and men’s faith
Chance, gambling luck and wily works
But how can we endure your stillness
Like an old man sitting on the sunset shore.

O5
Yes, the orange sun does rise every dawn
Like he always keeps his promise to you
And by watching this we firmly believe
That you will eventually carry us home
So we held up our staff and called out to heaven
Like we’d already mastered your smashing wave
Then people followed, the book written
To pass down this miracle of unseen.

O6
But could we ever order you to calm down?
Or set our feet of peace to walk upon you?
How much faith we need to divide your depth?
Even Paul got across your void by boat.
And we, only hold steering wheel to adjust
Hope for a good weather or to survive the storm
When a seagull or an isle suddenly appeared
We jump up for joy, and then fear what’s to come.

O7
In you every person searches alone
Since our birth we learn how to swim
One man stretched out his hand toward another
And one girl holding a boy’s hand, waiting for a kiss
Then they embraced; looked into each other’s eyes
Exchanging vows in front of crowd
And walked off the red banquet carpet
To set off for another voyage and to be together at last

O8
And what is waiting for them is the same
As all of us waited since our existence
You, my love; and you, our home.
In you always journey and we start anew
On the board we lie down and look up
The universe is filled with infinite stars
And you rock us like your infant child
Till we sleep, into a world of unknown.

In a remote peach valley,
There’s a peach temple.
And in that peach temple,
There dwells a peach god.
And the peach flower god,
Plants all his peach trees.
And he sells his peach bloom,
To trade for his peach wine.
He wakes up from drunkenness,
And meditates among peach bloom.
When he drinks up his wine,
He falls asleep under peach bloom.
Half sober and half drunk,
He lives in hangover day after day.
And flower fade flower bloom
Year after year in his yard.
He wishes he stays with his peach trees,
And getting old and dies under them.
And he never wants to give bows
In front of any chariot or horse.
Chariot dust and hoof prints
Are interests of the rich.
But wine cup and flower branch
Are the karma of poor.
If people compare their wealth,
The rich are in heave, the poor on earth.
If people look at the chariot and horse,
The rich gets their ride, but I have my rest.
Others all laugh at me;
They say that I’m crazy;
But I laugh back at them;
That they’re not enlightened.
Don’t you ever see
That by the tomb of past heroes,
Now there’s no flower and wine,
Only an enriched field is ready for spring.

Chinese:
桃花庵歌
唐伯虎
桃花坞里桃花庵，
桃花庵下桃花仙；
桃花仙人种桃树，
又摘桃花换酒钱。
酒醒只在花前坐，
酒醉还来花下眠；
半醒半醉日复日，
花落花开年复年。
但愿老死花酒间，
不愿鞠躬车马前；
车尘马足富者趣，
酒盏花枝贫者缘。
若将富贵比贫者，
一在平地一在天；
若将贫贱比车马，
他得驱驰我得闲。
别人笑我忒疯癫，
我笑他人看不穿；
不见五陵豪杰墓，
无花无酒锄作田。

Thin grass, chill breeze
Along the shores
High mast, alone boat
In this silent night

The stars are hanging
Over the vast plane field
And the bright moon
Flows in this giant river

Our name and fame
Are truly earned by writing?
How the office task
Is dismissed by my sickness?

Ah, drift and I drift
To whom shall I compare?
Between heaven and earth,
I am just a lonesome gull.

Chinese:
旅夜书怀
杜甫

细草微风岸，
危樯独夜舟。
星垂平野阔，
月涌大江流。
名岂文章著，
官应老病休，
飘飘何所似，
天地一沙鸥。

-Forward-

My world a last night dream,
So true and real, yet hidden and obscure.
And now I wake and see myself a wretch,
Unskilled and stressed in dusty winds,
But in past I met my heroes
those were in red sleeves and with hairpins,
they were more glorious and admirable than
all the men I’d ever encountered.

Me, just a graceless man from past
That filled with fatty sausage and dressed in silk,
Walked against my father and brother’s will,
Failed my teacher’s expectation and hardwork….

And now I am nothing, unaccomplished,
So I put down my ink to tell the world
That my sins shall not deserve forgiveness,
But please do not let my failures erase all,
all those good peoples and experiences
In my youth time.

Here I present the true testimony of my own,
some events that are related to society
That I cannot avoid, so I made real people hidden,
and fictional words remained in this book
to serve my only purpose,
-To memorize my acquaintance, my companions,
And my love and devotion to all.

***

Oh Dear Readers, please remember this song:

Life floating in bitterness and stress,
Fancy parties and festivals will all be dismissed.

All kinds of griefs and joys as bubbles to shatter,
History and present are just an absurd dream.

Not to mention the red sleeves are soaked in hot tear,
And there are also infatuated lovers sit in regret forever.

Every word of my tale is written thru blood,
Ten years painful labor is not a common voyage.

***

Here is my absurd tale, yet pretty interesting,
Please attend your mind, so you may not be confused.

After goddess Nv-wa repaired the skies,
She left one block that was useless for a spot,
So it was left at the foot of Greensickness peak.
After that, several end times of the world past,
The damn stone enlightened itself and obtained spirit.
And he realized that he was only one left on earth,
For all his kind were up supporting in the skies,
So he became sad and dreadful in tears,
Days and nights he mourned and vented, restlessly.

One day, he saw two figures were approaching,
One was monk and other a Taoist,
They sat by him chatting the boring things of gods,
And related sight scene tales…
After a while, these two led their speech
To their great experience of joy and prosperity
in the red dust liked world.
The stone moved his earthly mind and heart,
His spirit was attached to their topic, and could not resist,
So he called out, said:

“Master, your student here solute you!
I’ve heard what you just said, and really want to go there.
Even though I am a clumsy stone, but still very spiritual;
And I admire your unmatched talents
That can even repair the skies,
And your heart that always with compassion
Toward both material and human beings…
Please bring your student into the red dust world,
In the court of richness and wealth,
In the company of homey beauties,
So I can enjoy some great times,
And I will remember your grace forever,
Even the world melts ten thousand times,
I will never forget you, please!”

And the two masters laughed: “Well, well.
There are some enjoyable experience in the red dust world,
but those things do not last forever;
Also all the beauties are not in perfect form,
and good things often attract many evils.
In suddenness happiness ends and sadness born,
people gone and matter replaced,
which all the things become a dream,
and all conditions end in vanity.
It’s better not to go there.”

The stone’s heart already moved for earth,
he could not resist it, and begged many times.
And two masters didn’t want to disappoint him,
and sighed:

“Ahy, Your heart is in the state of movement,
coz you have meditated in stillness for so long;
Your karma has already circled from emptiness into existence.
Then, let us bring you into the world to enjoy a little,
but when you meet disappointment and bad times,
do not regret.”

The stone replied eagerly: “Certainly!”

The monk said:
“You are pretty spiritual, but in a clumsy quality,
being in a unworthy shape, could only move on tiptoe.
I will use my Buddha power to help you,
change your shape, and after your time due,
you will return in original form.
Do you like it?”

“Thank you!” the stone thanked.

The monk chanted, acted his magic,
changed this block into a small stone,
beautiful as jade, shining as ruby,
in a size of fan pendant, easy to hold,
and decorative it was.

Holding the jade stone on his palm,
the monk laughed:
“You look as a treasure,
but without a truly good property,
I must carve some good characters on you,
when people see you that they may know
you are a rare and fine piece;
Then I will bring you into world that is
In the state of prosperity, highlight, and magnificence,
In the clan of tradition, poetry, literate and honor,
In the place that surrounded by flower and plant,
And the village filled by warmly kindness and richness
To rest your body and enjoy your engagement.”

The stone heard, was exceedingly happy.

“I neither know what magic properties you gave me,
Nor I know where you would bring me,
Please explain, so I may understand.”

Monk said: “Don’t ask, you will know later.”

After that, he put the stone into his sleeve pocket,
Together left the place with the Taoist, disappeared,
To some where I do not know.

***

Time circles as the world melts,
All images change as eons wash.

Thereafter, there was a Taoist Vanitas, searching for Tao
and pursuing enlightenment,
when he was passing by the Greensickness peak
of the Great Fable Mountains,
by chance he found a giant stone block,
on its surface clearly carved rows of characters.
and he read its carved story from the beginning,
realized this was just the forsaken block,
that was without a gift to fill the skies,
but altered its image and entered into the red dust world
that carried by Buddhist Improvisio and Taoist Illuminate,
experienced thru all sorrows of departure, joys of reunion,
scorching ages and chilling eras of world.
On its back carved the following quatrain:

“I am without a gift to fill the gray skies,
All the years in red dust is worked in vain.
All these words about my past life to next,
Who would love my amazing tale and copy to tell?”

Following the poem was the story of the stone
who descended into the world and was born in a place,
that he experienced all subjects.
There were full of family and feminine matters
with leisure poems and prose that fitted for amusement,
but the actual historical and dynasty background were lost.

So Taoist Vanitas said to the stone:
“My brother, your story is pretty interesting,
so you carve it on you and hope one day it would be published.
But I think, the dynasty background is lost without proof;
second, it lacks morality topic and concept of grace of court policy;
there are only a few different ladies,
some are sentimental or infatuated,
some are with little talents or insignificant grace,
and they do not match to the fame and ability of Sister Ban and Ms. Cai.
Even if I copied it, the world might not want to read it.”

The stone smiled: “My master, why you are so stubborn!
If it is without a dynasty background, then borrow the years of Han or Tang.
This is a not problem.
But I think all the old historical tales are follow the same wheel-track,
they are not as fresh as my story that is new and unique,
which only talks about matters of sense and reason,
why it must need a clear dynasty background?
Also, a few common publishers publish serious topic books:)
and the real readers are very rare nowadays:)
Even though they read books, that most of them like romance genre,
Such as any soap opera, tabloid news and gossip channels:)
If you can’t find any publisher, then just surf online:)
There are plenty self-publishing companies out there:)
Then load my greatest novel on Amazon and barnesandnoble.com,
For all those curious readers to purchase
To find out the real meaning of my romantic tale
That the title shall be called The Story of Stone aka The Dream of Red Chamber.”

Taoist Vanitas was much struggled to do the favor,
For he already separated his human body and spirit,
And in order to do such work he must descend into world again,
To experience a lifetime hardship and grief, just for a novel?
Yet he was moved by all the characters in this book,
As he reread the whole story he felt more love toward them,
So he made a firm decision and promised to the stone,
He took out his Taoist brush and old scrolls,
Copied every word and bid farewell.

***

Age comes and goes like a jacket of earth,
All seasons circle, flower bloom and fade.

I could not recall how many seasons have passed.
And there lived a very talented scholar in Beijing,
Under the reign of Manchu, Qing dynasty of China.
His name was Cao Xueqin, his given name Cao Zhan,
And his courtesy name was mengyuan.
Since a kid he was gifted, and been nurtured
In a very prestigious royal family
That served the emperor Kangxi and Yongzheng,
But to serve an emperor was like to accompany a tiger,
The fate of a slave relied on his master’s temper.

When Cao was a kid, he saw both prosperity and calamity,
That all the glory and romance in the golden days
And predestined tragedies and sudden nightfall,
Like a dream that he once dreamed before
In the Grand View garden, among the red chambers.
Yet the ending nightmare never shook his character,
Like a rock he endured all the hardship silently,
And thru his whole life he painted all his dreams
With his magic brush, shaped his stone into a precious gem.

But an ill fate never let go the talented
And often a poet is buried by his verse
Ten years writing and a lifetime work
One day it was torn and author rested

Now his remained story begins:
The Golden Days, Volume I
The Crab-Flower Club, Volume II
The Warning Voice, Volume III

For more information, please google the titles or purchase at
Amazon.com or barnesandnoble.com

-O1-
Who are you, my love, soaring so high!
The god of all birds, a king of azure sky
On the precipitous cliff you make home
Off the lofty peak you leap a great dive
You call up the morning sun to ascend
And escort the moon where she roams
Earth revolves under your mighty talons
And heaven is for your wings to mete
-O2-
A pair firm claws, steel dagger sharp
Where your enemies find no escape
Above the vast land or the roaring sea
All livings are under your decree
Your eyes are made of pure gold
To see through the hour of dark night
Who dares to stare at the glorious sun?
And catch the true splendor of light!
-O3-
Upon the high rock you pick your nest
Above the deep sea you set window-view
And facing the cold winds you make love
There you raise young, hatch a brave heart
All worlds look up and envy your spot
But they never know how much you sacrifice
Your title and fame must cost so much
Upon that rocky cliff, in the gushing winds
-O4-
Lonesome and pride is the way of your life
It’s against your deity to group with a flock
No one dares to dictate your hour of flight
And no peak or valley is out of your reach
Toward the sun you stare and rise head on
And into the wintry wave you make a splash
White clouds are for your wings to smash
Rain and snow are your showers and bath
-O5-
Nature has preordained your tragic fate
Struggling since birth, fighting to become
Where your infant bed is a wrestling court
And then your test flight is a deadly dive
Yet you raise your hooked beak proudly
Stretch your broad wings measuring winds
Hop your muscular legs for a great leap
To aim the sun and answer the storm
-O6-
How calm you are, driving the winds above
Rise and fall freely, soar and turn with ease
Where in the sky you find dragon is a myth
And shadow of phoenix disappeared in sun
The idols on earth all become fairytale news
Only your wings and spirit are true examples
Death and fear can never conquer you in life
Dream and desires are all possible to reach
-O7-
Oh my great Bird, a miracle you pursue!
You’re hatched on cliff and born of storm
Sun above you and earth down below
Sky your lodge and death is like a home
In the gushing winds you howl battle cry
Into the cold waves you toy snowflake
Through the challenges you grow strong
And in turmoil and crisis you obtain peace
-O8-
Who is the maker of your striking shape?
Who gifted you a pair golden pupil
For the far vision and detail view?
Who gave you a pair brave wings
To set your faith fly and courage to dive?
Who made your nest on high cliff?
Who drove the winds and storms
And the red sun over the blue sea?
***Who made you, so great?***

I am a common man of my hometown,
Now old, but more determined.
With a silly wish I held myself
To be a good servant in Emperor’s court.
Still never been received,
Yet I wrought with my grayhair.
Till my coffin closes, then all affair stop,
And I believed myself always,
That one day I should achieve.

All the years I worried about people,
With all my sighs and my heart burnt.
All my classmates laughed at me,
But I even strove more with singing.
I wanted to travel between rivers and seas,
Take leisure of sunshine and moonlight.
But I believe our emperor is graceful,
So I couldn’t let go this good chance.
Yes, there are talents filled today’s court,
We aren’t lack of pillars for our mansion.
Yet, the sunflower always beholds the sun,
And we can’t take away his natural character.

I don’t want to be like ants and worms,
Only care myself and the dwelling hole.
Nor I admire the great fish in the sea,
Liberally swims and makes his splash.
Because I’ve obtained my living purpose,
Is to strive for the best with what I have.
So with uprightness I worked alone to now,
Enduring all the hardship like dust in wind.
And now I’m a little embarrassed of myself
Comparing to those hermits in ancient time.
So I drink more to bring me some joy,
And sing aloud to shout away my sorrow.

My years liked setting sun, withered grass,
And strong wind above the hilltop gushing.
Gloomy sky with turmoil clouds those days,
I, a sojourner, got on my road in midnight.
Cold misty frosts, even my jacket string broke,
And my fingers I could not feel or bend.
By morning I arrived at the Li Mountains,
The emperor’s palace was above those hills.
The north winds blew the cold blue sky,
Each stair was slippery on cliff or in valley.
Yet I could still see the steam of hot spring,
Rising from the spears of countless guards.
Emperor and his officials were partying there,
Symphony of their musicians loudly echoing.
All the high ranking royals bathed together,
And their feast no lowly officers allowed to join.

The silk of our court all made by common maids,
And the collectors whipping their family to gather.
Ancient kings only gifted their official baskets,
So their people would not be too stressed.
If the officials really understood such concept,
Then why our emperor still gave away silk?
Oh, too many those people filled our court,
Even a righteous person feared to step in!
Not to mention the treasure of the court
All stocked in the royal family’s house.
The beautiful ladies in their palace, like goddess,
Burning incense all hours for their cream skin.
Marten coats for their guests to keep warm,
And with their instrument they sing a sad song.
Their guests enjoy the exotic cuisine,
And orange and fruit served fresh with frost.
Within their red mansion walls, meat stored to rot;
Outside on their sidewalk, bony men froze to death.
Luxury neighboring the withered so close,
Yet so different; oh, my heart wanes, I can’t express!

As I got on a carriage, heading to Wei and Jing River,
By the checkpoint they made us turn to another road.
All the rivers rushing from the western mountains,
Their source looked like from Kong Dong peaks.
For a moment, I thought the pillar of sky was falling.
It’s fortunate the bridge above the river was not broken,
She bore our carriage with cracking sound.
So we helped each other, carrying our own luggage
And walked across the bridge, over that rushing river.

My wife waited for me in Feng Xian town,
My nine children and I been cut off by storm.
What husband on earth would abandon his family
for such long period of time?
And I must rush to be with them
Together we in hunger and thirst.
And by my door I heard the wailing voice,
My youngest son died of hunger.
Even if I did refrain myself not to howl,
Still my neighbors couldn’t stop their sob.
How could I be a dad, being so poor!
That couldn’t bring back food to feed my son!
And I never knew that in autumn time,
A reaping season, poor people starved to death!

I hold a lowly position in government,
By law I’m tax exempt and no draft for war.
Now I reflect all my past matters I feel sad,
And common people even bear much more.
Those who lost their family and their house,
And faraway our soldiers in the battlefield,
Then my sorrow weighing over my heart
Like a mountain, or a flood immersing.

End

Poem Note:
People ask me what is one the example of talented poets, Li Bai; but there are great poets, like Du Fu, who loved his people, his family, his wife, children, and his work and his poem. This is the best poem of Du Fu I personally praise, surely shown he was a follower of Confucius, he put all his wish and struggle for people. So every Chinese and poets respected him. A poet is emotional, always, he is sensitive to things, even to a dead leaf, or a blink of star, or to everything, so whatever a poet cannot stop writing is how he feels about things that pulls his heart string, but not every poet has a feeling for everything or everyone, even though he forges with his black art he learns from his bookshelf, a reader can discover thru his verses about something that not authentic. But this poem Du Fu has a great heart, and real feeling, a truthful friend for every reader, and all his poems so great with heart.

I don’t think there is any English translation for this poem yet.

Chinese:
自京赴奉先县咏怀五百字
唐 杜甫

杜陵有布衣，老大意转拙。
许身一何愚，窃比稷与契。
居然成濩落，白首甘契阔。
盖棺事则已，此志常觊豁。
穷年忧黎元，叹息肠内热。
取笑同学翁，浩歌弥激烈。
非无江海志，萧洒送日月。
生逢尧舜君，不忍便永诀。
当今廊庙具，构厦岂云缺。
葵藿倾太阳，物性固莫夺。
顾惟蝼蚁辈，但自求其穴。
胡为慕大鲸，辄拟偃溟渤。
以兹悟生理，独耻事干谒。
兀兀遂至今，忍为尘埃没。
终愧巢与由，未能易其节。
沈饮聊自适，放歌颇愁绝。
岁暮百草零，疾风高冈裂。
天衢阴峥嵘，客子中夜发。
霜严衣带断，指直不得结。
凌晨过骊山，御榻在嵽嵲。
蚩尤塞寒空，蹴蹋崖谷滑。
瑶池气郁律，羽林相摩戛。
君臣留欢娱，乐动殷樛嶱。
赐浴皆长缨，与宴非短褐。
彤庭所分帛，本自寒女出。
鞭挞其夫家，聚敛贡城阙。
圣人筐篚恩，实欲邦国活。
臣如忽至理，君岂弃此物。
多士盈朝廷，仁者宜战栗。
况闻内金盘，尽在卫霍室。
中堂舞神仙，烟雾散玉质。
暖客貂鼠裘，悲管逐清瑟。
劝客驼蹄羹，霜橙压香橘。
朱门酒肉臭，路有冻死骨。
荣枯咫尺异，惆怅难再述。
北辕就泾渭，官渡又改辙。
群冰从西下，极目高崒兀。
疑是崆峒来，恐触天柱折。
河梁幸未坼，枝撑声窸窣。
行旅相攀援，川广不可越。
老妻寄异县，十口隔风雪。
谁能久不顾，庶往共饥渴。
入门闻号咷，幼子饥已卒。
吾宁舍一哀，里巷亦呜咽。
所愧为人父，无食致夭折。
岂知秋未登，贫窭有仓卒。
生常免租税，名不隶征伐。
抚迹犹酸辛，平人固骚屑。
默思失业徒，因念远戍卒。
忧端齐终南，澒洞不可掇。

Setting sun like melting gold
Rosy clouds blanketing the sky
Where is the one in my thought?

Willows painted green
Smoke rising from every house
I played the plum melody non stop
But the spring understood me not!

Ah, January Fifteenth again
Night lanterns all lighted
Weather mild and warm
But how can we be sure
There won’t be sudden rains and wind?

My friends came and greeted
Riding in beautiful wagons
To their drink feast and poetry club
But I declined their invite

Oh, I still remembered the holidays
In our state of the good old days
So many, I skipped
Yet only prepared for this Lantern Day

The emerald pendant on my hat
Gold twist and silver trim jacket
And all the colorful strap and belts

But now, with my haggardness,
And this wind blown foggy hair,
How could I go out at this night?

It would be better for me
Just to sit under the blind
And hear other’s laughter and chat.

Note:
Some say this poem was composed when the poet’s husband lay in sickness in other state.

Chinese:
永遇乐
李清照

落日熔金，
暮云合璧，
人在何处？

染柳烟浓，
吹梅笛怨，
春意知几许？

元宵佳节，
融和天气，
次第岂无风雨？

来相召，
香车宝马，
谢他酒朋诗侣。

中州盛日，
闺门多暇，
记得偏重三五。

铺翠冠儿、
捻金雪柳，
簇带争济楚。

如今憔悴，
风鬟雾鬓，
怕见夜间出去。

不如向，
帘儿底下，
听人笑语。

I drink and write
It feels so right
Don’t prep my thought
Just ride with the flow

After some dose
I see all the pictures
That makes me dizzy
Yes, I’m in cloud and touching stars

Poetry is so easy
I meditate it with life
When my heart aches
The rhythm naturally tuned

I can forget the tones
I can erase the image
Just baby talk, random thoughts
Still make you woozy

Like seeing the sun
Rising from west
Like seeing the moon
Smiling in the pond

Yeah, I must drink and write
So my mind speaks truth
Like my absurd verses don’t work
And this world in a bottle of hope

Brewing my dream
In the fifty states,
With a thread of grief
I drink and fall asleep.
On the bank of river
I look for my goddess,
Only to roam alone
In cloud and peach bloom.

Heavenly mountains,
Crystal ice, and stars
Shining bright as plates;
Deep blue oceans
With their roaring waves,
Splashing toward high.
Oh, this great bird
Spreads his giant wings
To strike myriad miles
For the limit of sky.

Note:
A translation of my own Chinese poem.

Chinese:
美梦

美梦酝酿五十州, 一丝牵挂醉中眠.
湘水湖畔思神女, 独游云梦卧桃源.
天山冰晶星如斗, 琼海洋溢浪涛天.
此鹏欲展鸿飞翅, 挥翼万里志无边.

The spring dream
Twenty years ago
Was blown away
By the east wind
The flowers shed
And petals fallen
But lover abode
Still grieving that
Ah, undying grief
I dare not to tell

Poem Note:
Those young faces in the crowd;
Red petals on a wet black bough.

I edited Pond’s poem to explain the meaning of my poem, to record a historical event, to mourn for the fallen flowers, and report to reader for the present state, like so many ancient Chinese poems, that only composed for reader of future, that those past poets did not know, their descendants inherited all their great art and writing the same poem, that their future was not easy, just as their time.

二十年前初春夢﹐
東風吹去落花紅。
多情赤子今猶在﹐
無限愁緒不敢說。