History & Politics
The Taking-up of Arms
Translated by Florence Ayscough and Amy Lowell (1921) · From Fir-Flower Tablets (1921)
A hundred battles, the sandy fields of battles, armour broken into fragments.
To the South of the city they are already shut in and surrounded by many layers of men.
They rush out from their cantonments. They shoot and kill the General of the Barbarians.
A single officer leads the routed soldiers of the "Thousand Horsemen" returning whence they came.
Cite this poem
MLA
Po, Li. “The Taking-up of Arms.” Translated by Florence Ayscough and Amy Lowell. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/li-po/114/.
Chicago
Po, Li. “The Taking-up of Arms.” Translated by Florence Ayscough and Amy Lowell. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/li-po/114/.
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