Zoë Translates

Poems, original and translated.

“Two playful orioles…”

Two playful orioles in verdant willows sang;
Toward the azure sky a row of egrets soared.
The ancient glaciers poured their gleam through windowpanes;
Below the doorsteps slept a weary ship just moored.

an 8th-century Chinese jueju poem, re-created in alexandrine
special thanks to L.J.


Original

絕句

兩個黃鸝鳴翠柳
一行白鷺上青天
窗含西嶺千秋雪
門泊東吳萬里船