Time & Brevity
Since I Lay Ill
Translated by Arthur Waley (1919) · From More Translations from the Chinese (1919)
Time & Brevity
Since I lay ill, how long has passed?
Almost a hundred heavy-hanging days.
The maids have learnt to gather my medicine-herbs;
The dog no longer barks when the doctor comes.
The jars in my cellar are plastered deep with mould;
My singer’s carpets are half crumbled to dust.
How can I bear, when the Earth renews her light,
To watch from a pillow the beauty of Spring unfold?
Cite this poem
MLA
Chü-i, Po. “Since I Lay Ill.” Translated by Arthur Waley. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/po-chu-i/107/.
Chicago
Chü-i, Po. “Since I Lay Ill.” Translated by Arthur Waley. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/po-chu-i/107/.
Read this poem with the Codex →