“Returning to the Fields and Gardens (II)” appears courtesy of Copper Canyon Press. Reprinted from Arthur Sze’s The Silk Dragon: Translations from the Chinese, translated and introduced by Arthur Sze. © 2001 Arthur Sze.
_________
To read Arthur Sze’s translations of
Li Ch’ing-chao
Li Ho
Wen I-to
Li Po
Li Shang-yin
Tu Fu
Wang Wei
_________
Read our interview with Arthur Sze in this issue.
_________
Read a selection of Sze’s poetry in an earlier issue.
_________
At bn.com, a complete list of titles by Arthur Sze
_________
Sam Hamill’s translation of of Ta’o Ch’ien in an earlier issue
Translated by Arthur Sze
Returning to the Fields and Gardens (II)
I plant beans below the southern hill:
there grasses flourish and bean sprouts are sparse.
At dawn, I get up, clear out a growth of weeds,
then go back, leading the moon, a hoe over my shoulder.
Now the path is narrow, grasses and bushes are high.
Evening dew moistens my clothes;
but so what if my clothes are wet –
I choose not to avoid anything that comes
