Observations placeholder
Li Po - To the City of Nan-king
Identifier
012847
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
A description of the experience
From A Lute of Jade – Being selections from the Classical poets of China [The Wisdom of the East series] edited and translated by L. Cranmer-Byng and Dr S. Kapadia [1918]
To the City of Nan-king
Thou that hast seen six kingdoms pass away,
Accept my song and these three cups I drain!
There may be fairer gardens light the plain;
Thine are the dim blue hills more fair than they.
Here Kings of Wu were crowned and overthrown,
Where peaceful grass along the ruin wins;
Here -- was it yesterday? -- the royal Tsins
Called down the dreams of sunset into stone.
One end awaits for all that mortal be;
Pride and despair shall find a common grave:
The Yang-tse-kiang renders wave and wave
To mingle with the abysms of the sea.