All Saints Day 1868
“But they are at peace.” Never to weary more, nor suffer sorrow,- Their strife all over, and their work all done: At peace-and only waiting for the morrow; Heaven’s rest and rapture even now begun. So tired once! long fetter’d, sorely burden’d, Ye struggled hard and well for your release; Ye fought in faith […]
All Saints Day 1867
Blessed are they whose baby-souls are bright, Whose brows are sealèd with the cross of light, Whom God Himself has deign’d to robe in white- Blessed are they! Blessed are they who follow through the wild His sacred footprints, as a little child; Who strive to keep their garments undefiled- Blessed are they! Blessed […]
After Our Likeness
Before me now a little picture lies- A little shadow of a childish face, Childishly sweet, yet with the dawning grace Of thought and wisdom on her lips and eyes. Fair, oval, broad-brow’d face-small, delicate head- Transparent skin, with blue veins shining through- All the soft outlines, beautiful and true, Bring me the echo […]
A Story At Dusk
An evening all aglow with summer light And autumn colour-fairest of the year. The wheat-fields, crowned with shocks of tawny gold, All interspersed with rough sowthistle roots, And interlaced with white convolvulus, Lay, flecked with purple shadows, in the sun. The shouts of little children, gleaning there The scattered ears and wild blue-bottle flowers- […]
A Sigh In The Night
O sweet darkness, still, and calm, and lonely! Spread thy downy pinions round about. Spare me from thy hidden riches only One dream-face; blot all the others out. Bring him now, for thou hast power to free him, From that ugly garb he wears by day; Bring him now-my darling!-let me see him Ere […]
A Sermon
Midsummer, 1867. We have heard many sermons, you and I, And many more may hear, When sitting quiet in cathedral nave, With folded palms and faces meek and grave;- But few like this one, dear. We ofttimes watch together ‘fore the veil, With reverent, gleaming eyes, While priestly hands are busy with the folds,- […]
A Prayer
Spirit and Breath of Life, whate’er Thy name! Bear with Thy creature, Man, That makes his dwelling-place a blot of shame Upon the Ordered Plan. Not Thy hand, O Divine Designer, hurled Athwart the starlit skies One blood-stained, greed-diseased, hate-eaten world, To shock celestial eyes. Not Thy default, O Beautiful, this crust Of fratricidal […]
A Dream Of Venice
Numb, half asleep, and dazed with whirl of wheels, And gasp of steam, and measured clank of chains, I heard a blithe voice break a sudden pause, Ringing familiarly through the lamp-lit night, “Wife, here’s your Venice!” I was lifted down, And gazed about in stupid wonderment, Holding my little Katie by the hand- […]
Bound Home to Mount Song by Wang Wei
The limpid river, past its bushes Running slowly as my chariot, Becomes a fellow voyager Returning home with the evening birds. A ruined city-wall overtops an old ferry, Autumn sunset floods the peaks. …Far away, beside Mount Song, I shall close my door and be at peace. ————— The End And that’s the End of […]
Answering Vice-Prefect Zhang by Wang Wei
As the years go by, give me but peace, Freedom from ten thousand matters. I ask myself and always answer: What can be better than coming home? A wind from the pine-trees blows my sash, And my lute is bright with the mountain moon. You ask me about good and evil fortune?…. Hark, on the […]
At the Lake Pavilion by Wang Wei
Small barge go to meet honoured guest Leisurely lake on come At railing face cup alcohol On all sides lotus bloom On a skiff I meet an honoured guest, Slowly, slowly, it comes across the lake. Facing at the railing, we drink a cup of wine, On all sides, lotus flowers are in bloom. ————— […]
Duckweed Pond by Wang Wei
Spring pond deep and wide Time for the vessel’s return Slow the duckweed flows together Willows draw them apart again ————— The End And that’s the End of the Poem © Poetry Monster, 2021. Poems by topic and subject. Poetry Monster — the ultimate repository of world poetry. Poetry Monster — the multilingual library of poetic […]
Bamboo Adobe by Wang Wei
I sit along in the dark bamboo grove, Playing the zither and whistling long. In this deep wood no one would know – Only the bright moon comes to shine. ————— The End And that’s the End of the Poem © Poetry Monster, 2021. Poems by topic and subject. Poetry Monster — the ultimate repository of […]
Deer Enclosure by Wang Wei
Empty hill not see person Yet hear person voice sound Return scene enter deep forest Duplicate light green moss on Hills are empty, no man is seen, Yet the sound of people’s voices is heard. Light is cast into the deep forest, And shines again on green moss. ————— The End And that’s the End […]
Farewell to Hsin Chien at Hibiscus Pavilion by Wang Wei
A cold rain mingled with the river at evening, when I entered Wu; In the clear dawn I bid you farewell, lonely as Ch’u Mountain. My kinsfolk in Loyang, should they ask about me, Tell them: “My heart is a piece of ice in a jade cup!” ————— The End And that’s the End of […]
Farewell by Wang Wei
Down horse drink gentleman alcohol Ask gentleman what place go Gentleman say not achieve wish Return lie south mountain near Still go nothing more ask White cloud not exhaust time Dismounting, I offer my friend a cup of wine, I ask what place he is headed to. He says he has not achieved his aims, […]
For P’ei Ti by Wang Wei
We’ve not seen each other for a long time now. Each day above the stream I see us arm in arm. Memory. Painful goodbyes. If it feels like this now, What did it feel like then? ————— The End And that’s the End of the Poem © Poetry Monster, 2021. Poems by topic and subject. Poetry […]
From the Mountain by Wang Wei
Here there are others like me Sitting alone in meditation. Look out here from the city. All you will see is White Clouds. ————— The End And that’s the End of the Poem © Poetry Monster, 2021. Poems by topic and subject. Poetry Monster — the ultimate repository of world poetry. Poetry Monster — the multilingual […]
For Mêng Hao-jan by Wang Wei
Never to see that true friend again. Han River gleams wide to the east. I might ask where his island’s found. River and hills. Empty is his place. ————— The End And that’s the End of the Poem © Poetry Monster, 2021. Poems by topic and subject. Poetry Monster — the ultimate repository of world poetry. […]
Fine Apricot Lodge by Wang Wei
Fine apricot cut for roofbeam Fragrant cogongrass tie for eaves Not know ridgepole in cloud Go make people among rain Fine apricot was cut for the roofbeam, Fragrant cogongrass tied for the eaves. I know not when the cloud from this house Will go to make rain among the people. ————— The End And that’s […]
Fields and Gardens by the River Qi by Wang Wei
I dwell apart by the River Qi, Where the Eastern wilds stretch far without hills. The sun darkens beyond the mulberry trees; The river glistens through the villages. Shepherd boys depart, gazing back to their hamlets; Hunting dogs return following their men. When a man’s at peace, what business does he have? I shut fast […]
Farewell (II) by Wang Wei
Hill at mutual escort stop Day dusk shut wood door Spring grass next year green Prince offspring return not return We bid each other farewell beside the hill, As day meets dusk, I close the wooden gate. Next year, in spring, there will be green grass again, But will my honoured friend return? ————— The […]
Chungnan by Wang Wei
Middle-aged now, following the Way. Settled at evening near the Chungnan slopes. Delight, and I wander off by myself Searching for what I need to see alone. I climb up to the roots of the streams, Sit and watch the White Clouds pass, Meet the old man of the woods, Talk and laugh, forget to […]
Birds Calling in the Ravine by Wang Wei
I’m idle, as osmanthus flowers fall, This quiet night in spring, the hill is empty. The moon comes out and startles the birds on the hill, They don’t stop calling in the spring ravine. ————— The End And that’s the End of the Poem © Poetry Monster, 2021. Poems by topic and subject. Poetry Monster — […]
An Evening in the Mountains by Wang Wei
After rain the empty mountain Stands autumnal in the evening, Moonlight in its groves of pine, Stones of crystal in its brooks. Bamboos whisper of washer-girls bound home, Lotus-leaves yield before a fisher-boat — And what does it matter that springtime has gone, While you are here, O Prince of Friends? ————— The End And […]
An Early Audience at the Palace of Light. (Harmonizing a poem for Secretary Jia Zhi.) by Wang Wei
The red-capped Cock-Man has just announced morning; The Keeper of the Robes brings Jade-Cloud Furs; Heaven’s nine doors reveal the palace and its courtyards; And the coats of many countries bow to the Pearl Crown. Sunshine has entered the giants’ carven palms; Incense wreathes the Dragon Robe: The audience adjourns-and the five-coloured edict Sets girdle-beads […]
A View of the Han River by Wang Wei
With its three southern branches reaching the Chu border, And its nine streams touching the gateway of Jing, This river runs beyond heaven and earth, Where the colour of mountains both is and is not. The dwellings of men seem floating along On ripples of the distant sky — These beautiful days here in Xiangyang […]
A Study by Wang Wei
Light cloud pavilion light rain Dark yard day weary open Sit look green moss colour About to on person clothes come There’s light cloud, and drizzle round the pavilion, In the dark yard, I wearily open a gate. I sit and look at the colour of green moss, Ready for people’s clothing to pick up. […]
A Song of Peach-Blossom River by Wang Wei
A fisherman is drifting, enjoying the spring mountains, And the peach-trees on both banks lead him to an ancient source. Watching the fresh-coloured trees, he never thinks of distance Till he comes to the end of the blue stream and suddenly- strange men! It’s a cave-with a mouth so narrow that he has to crawl […]
A Song of an Autumn Night. by Wang Wei
Under the crescent moon a light autumn dew Has chilled the robe she will not change — And she touches a silver lute all night, Afraid to go back to her empty room. ————— The End And that’s the End of the Poem © Poetry Monster, 2021. Poems by topic and subject. Poetry Monster — the […]
A Song of a Girl from Loyang by Wang Wei
There’s a girl from Loyang in the door across the street, She looks fifteen, she may be a little older. …While her master rides his rapid horse with jade bit an bridle, Her handmaid brings her cod-fish in a golden plate. On her painted pavilions, facing red towers, Cornices are pink and green with peach-bloom […]
A Song at Weicheng. by Wang Wei
A morning-rain has settled the dust in Weicheng; Willows are green again in the tavern dooryard…. Wait till we empty one more cup — West of Yang Gate there’ll be no old friends. ————— The End And that’s the End of the Poem © Poetry Monster, 2021. Poems by topic and subject. Poetry Monster — the […]
A Message to Commissioner Li At Zizhou by Wang Wei
From ten thousand valleys the trees touch heaven; On a thousand peaks cuckoos are calling; And, after a night of mountain rain, From each summit come hundreds of silken cascades. …If girls are asked in tribute the fibre they weave, Or farmers quarrel over taro fields, Preside as wisely as Wenweng did…. Is fame to […]
A Message from my Lodge at Wangchuan to Pei Di by Wang Wei
The mountains are cold and blue now And the autumn waters have run all day. By my thatch door, leaning on my staff, I listen to cicadas in the evening wind. Sunset lingers at the ferry, Supper-smoke floats up from the houses. …Oh, when shall I pledge the great Hermit again And sing a wild […]
A Green Stream. by Wang Wei
I have sailed the River of Yellow Flowers, Borne by the channel of a green stream, Rounding ten thousand turns through the mountains On a journey of less than thirty miles…. Rapids hum over heaped rocks; But where light grows dim in the thick pines, The surface of an inlet sways with nut-horns And weeds […]
A Farmhouse on the Wei River by Wang Wei
In the slant of the sun on the country-side, Cattle and sheep trail home along the lane; And a rugged old man in a thatch door Leans on a staff and thinks of his son, the herdboy. There are whirring pheasants, full wheat-ears, Silk-worms asleep, pared mulberry-leaves. And the farmers, returning with hoes on their […]
A Reply by Wang Wei
I have a place on the Chungnan slopes. Sitting there you can see the Mountains. No one there, no guests, the gate is closed. No plans all day, just time and silence. Nothing stops you gazing and dreaming. Why not come and try to find me there? ————— The End And that’s the End of […]