Living
Bad Times
Translated by William Jennings (1891) · From The Shi King (Jennings, 1891), Part II, Book viii
Living
Ah, how the trumpet-flowers
All saffron-tinted grow!
O, saddened hearts are ours,
Beneath this bitter blow.
Now, for the trumpet-flowers
But green green leaves we see!
Than live a life like ours
'Twere better not to be.
With sheep scarce aught but head,
With star-reflecting creels,
Some manage to be fed,
Yet few have proper meals.
Cite this poem
MLA
Shi Jing (The Book of Songs). “Bad Times.” Translated by William Jennings. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/shi-jing/429/.
Chicago
Shi Jing (The Book of Songs). “Bad Times.” Translated by William Jennings. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/shi-jing/429/.
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