Nature
A Message from Lake Tung-t'ing
Translated by Witter Bynner and Kiang Kang-hu (1929) · From The Jade Mountain (1929)
Here in the Eighth-month the waters of the lake
Are of a single air with heaven,
And a mist from the Yun and Mêng valleys
Has beleaguered the city of Yo-chou.
I should like to cross, but I can find no boat.
. . . How ashamed I am to be idler than you statesmen,
As I sit here and watch a fisherman casting
And emptily envy him his catch.
Cite this poem
MLA
Hao-jan, Meng. “A Message from Lake Tung-t'ing.” Translated by Witter Bynner and Kiang Kang-hu. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/meng-hao-jan/8/.
Chicago
Hao-jan, Meng. “A Message from Lake Tung-t'ing.” Translated by Witter Bynner and Kiang Kang-hu. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/meng-hao-jan/8/.
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