YUAN MEI

“Wrapped, surrounded by ten thousand mountains“

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Wrapped, surrounded by ten thousand mountains,
Cut off, no place to go….
Until you’re here, there’s no way to get here.
Once you’re here, there’s no way to go.

YUAN MEI
“Mad Words”

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To learn to be without desire
         you must desire that.
Better to do as you please:
         sing idleness.
Floating clouds, and water idly running –
         Where’s their source?
In all the vastness of the sea and sky,
you’ll never find it.

YUAN MEI
“Climbing the Mountain”

I burned incense, swept the earth, and waited
              for a poem to come…

Then I laughed, and climbed the mountain,
              leaning on my staff.

How I’d love to be a master
              of the blue sky’s art:

see how many sprigs of snow-white cloud
              he’s brushed in so far today.

YUAN MEI - “Climbing the Mountain”

I burned incense, swept the earth, and waited
              for a poem to come ...

Then I laughed, and climbed the mountain,
              leaning on my staff.

How I’d love to be a master
              of the blue sky’s art:

see how many sprigs of snow-white cloud
              he’s brushed in so far today.

YUAN MEI - "Nearing Hao-pa"

(I saw in the mist a little village of a few tiled roofs and joyfully admired it.)

There’s a stream, and there’s bamboo,
there’s mulberry and hemp.
Mist-hid, clouded hamlet,
a mild, tranquil place.
Just a few tilled acres.
Just a few tiled roofs.
How many lives would I
have to live, to get
that simple.