DAILY PHOTO: Views from Geumjeongsan

Solitary [Haiku]

solitary flower
bows in a Spring breeze --
then stands upright.

The Wall [Haiku]

young trees curve away
from the ancient wall
of a fallen fortress.

“Little Echoed Hills” [小重山] by Yue Fei [岳飞] [w/ Audio]

Last night chirps resounded in the cold,
Through witching hour no sleep occurred.
I rose and slowly walked, alone.
Moonlight window glow, but no one stirred.

I've grayed in service and search of fame.
On hills, back home, the pines have grown old.
That's the story I'd let my lute tell,
If a string weren't broken &
there was someone to be told.

Jagged Coast [Haiku]

rocky fingers
stretch into the sea:
waves crash & spray.

“Impromptu Lines Written on a Spring Day” [春日偶成] by Cheng Hao [程颢]

Towards noon fleecy clouds waft in the gentle breeze;
I cross the stream amid flowers and willow trees.
What do the worldlings know about my hearty pleasure?
They'd only take me for a truant fond of leisure.

Note: This is the joint translation of Xu Yuanchong and Xu Ming found in the edition of Golden Treasury of Quatrains and Octaves on which they collaborated (i.e. China Publishing Group: Beijing (2008.))

Springfall [Haiku]

mountain springtime:
dust cleared by falling water,
climbers swell & green.

“Sundown” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow [w/ Audio]

The summer sun is sinking low;
Only the tree-tops redden and glow:
Only the weathercock on the spire
Of the neighboring church is a flame of fire;
All is in shadow below.

O beautiful, awful summer day,
What hast thou given, what taken away?
Life and death, and love and hate,
Homes made happy or desolate,
Hearts made sad or gay!

On the road of life one mile-stone more!
In the book of life one leaf turned o'er!
Like a red seal is the setting sun
On the good and the evil men have done,--
Naught can to-day restore!

Stone Bridge [Haiku]

old stone bridge:
weeds grow in its cracks,
its river ran dry.

DAILY PHOTO: Views of Namsan