WINE OF IMMORTALS

OVER WINE FLOWING THOUGHTS AT YEN-CHE'NG DRUNKEN VILLAGERS LAZY CLOUD'S NEST 1 LAZY CLOUD'S NEST 2 KNOWING ENOUGH 3 KNOWING ENOUGH 4 WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

DWELLING IN IDLENESS 1 DWELLING IN IDLENESS 2 BOTTLE GOURD 1 BOTTLE GOURD 2 BOTTLE GOURD 3 BRIEF DREAMS OF GLORY WINGS

OVER WINE over wine I ask how long a man can live used as he is by heartless sun and moon refine the pill of immortality within my body wash out the flame that burns my heart I'll raise the gourd and idle into drunkeness a thousand miles of cloudy mountains will become my song and I'll endure their laughter FLOWING toot once, strum once give us a song to Great Virtue. enjoy yourself, relax stop setting snares. get delicate and follow where that leads you. go find yourself a place to flop and flop there. THOUGHTS AT YEN-CH'ENG clouds and mountains have meaning carriages and finery have none. the autumn wind will blow away ambition's tears going home? that's better left alone. green mountains summon me to drink getting and losing are fated getting, is some other's fate and losing, mine. DRUNKEN VILLAGERS the guest is drunk and the host, and the boy and they sing. and they dance. and they laugh. you bow politely, and he bows, and I no boisterous strings or mad flutes here to rush us we drink with the red falling sun till he falls in the West and pound time on our plates and our saucers and bowls till they break LAZY CLOUD'S NEST 1 write poems when I am sober, and sing when I am drunk I leave my fancy lute untuned, throw down my book and sleep. I don't dream dreams of empire to have a little idle time is good enough the sun and moon race like the weaver's shuttle wealth and rank are blossoms and fall spring goes why not enjoy it? LAZY CLOUD'S NEST 2 If someone came what would I do dozing here with my clothes on completely at ease, feeling frisky human life? What can you say rank is above me a bit wealth, I don't need it ha ha you laugh I laugh, ha ha KNOWING ENOUGH 3 flourishing and withering are fated stop coveting, stop plotting simply approach the thing in the cup don't tell me Li Po's a sage don't speak of Liu Ling's tomb wine won't seep down through the earth of their graves KNOWING ENOUGH 4 wild flowers fill the court spring morning's forever when you come I'll greet you with open arms a grass hut and a thousand books a few lute notes beneath the moon be at ease, it is all given freely WHAT ARE YOU DOING? the whole grove, red leaves flutter in confusion drunk through autumn frost as bright trees are ravished quietly brush off the green moss and sit there writing poems the wine is warm if the brazier is cold the cup is deep and wine can wash away the pain of autumn I loosen my robe, leave things alone drink the bowl dry DWELLING IN IDLENESS 1 rain passed, I draw the lines and till my melon patch in time of drought I lead the water to the hemp with a couple of old farmers I chat about village and home an earthen cup of turbid wine its brim is my horizon drunk, the heavens and the earth grow large in the pure breeze beneath the willow let me sleep as if dead. DWELLING IN IDLENESS 2 lucky I was to leave green waters and blue hills and come to this straw hut among bamboos wild flowers opening along the road raw wine fresh pressed from village winery I drink myself silly and when I'm drunk there's no need to urge me I'll poke some yellow blossoms in my snowy hair. BOTTLE GOURD 1 wine, a dark cup one gourd of spring's desires and mountain man is drunk one gourd of wine weighs heavy on the flowered bough I follow my boy the gourd is dry, my joy is unexhausted. Who goes with me? a host of mountains sees me off. ride the wind, oh master Lieh Tzu and master Lieh Tzu rode. BOTTLE GOURD 2 go get some wine the mountain bird among the flowers calls go take the pot for wine I'll raise the gourd where flowers flourish I'll do as I please, go mad, is one gourd enough? you keep close watch and when it's gone, go buy some more the high and mighty laugh at me, and I laugh back. BOTTLE GOURD 3 wine new strained a gourd of spring wine on the island where the cherry-apple blooms a gourd unopened, yet its fragrant meaning clear I ponder mounds of salt and snub the aristocracy merry again this dreamscape's empty, false Chuang Chou dreamed he was a butterfly dreaming he was Chuang BRIEF DREAMS OF GLORY bright doors, an empty mansion, no one living there and in the village hall the happiest of plowmen an instant and both wealth and rank are empty blossoms leaves flown on autumn wind and ragged rain nothing would be better than to see you again to sail in a little boat to wait the plums that bloom in snow and frost wander together beside the shallows of cold pools WINGS the cockcrow of chance brings you quick to your feet you'll be pounded for profit and simmered in fame till you're done better than to dream yourself a butterfly? well, as you will laugh, I'm a fool. and I'm better than you.