Death & Dying

On Leaving the Tomb of Premier Fang

by Tu Fu 712–770

Translated by Witter Bynner and Kiang Kang-hu (1929) · From The Jade Mountain (1929)

Death & Dying

Having to travel back now from this far place,
I dismount beside your lonely tomb.
The ground where I stand is wet with my tears;
The sky is dark with broken clouds. . . .
I who played chess with the great Premier
Am bringing to my lord the dagger he desired. . . .
But I find only petals falling down,
I hear only linnets answering.

MLA

Fu, Tu. “On Leaving the Tomb of Premier Fang.” Translated by Witter Bynner and Kiang Kang-hu. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/tu-fu/46/.

Chicago

Fu, Tu. “On Leaving the Tomb of Premier Fang.” Translated by Witter Bynner and Kiang Kang-hu. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/tu-fu/46/.

Read this poem with the Codex →

More by Tu Fu