Love
To a Young Gentleman
Translated by Herbert A. Giles (1898) · From Chinese Poetry in English Verse (1898)
Don't come in, sir, please!
Don't break my willow-trees!
Not that that would very much grieve me;
But alack-a-day! what would my parents say?
And love you as I may,
I cannot bear to think what that would be.
Don't cross my wall, sir, please!
Don't spoil my mulberry-trees!
Not that that would very much grieve me;
But alack-a-day! what would my brothers say?
And love you as I may,
I cannot bear to think what that would be.
Keep outside, sir, please!
Don't spoil my sandal-trees!
Not that that would very much grieve me;
But alack-a-day! what the world would say!
And love you as I may,
I cannot bear to think what that would be.
Cite this poem
MLA
Anonymous (Classical Chinese). “To a Young Gentleman.” Translated by Herbert A. Giles. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/classical-chinese-anonymous/0/.
Chicago
Anonymous (Classical Chinese). “To a Young Gentleman.” Translated by Herbert A. Giles. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/classical-chinese-anonymous/0/.
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