Thursday, April 16, 2026

Thursday Poem - Swiftly


Swiftly the years, beyond recall,
Solemn the stillness of this fair morning.
I will clothe myself in spring clothing,
And visit the slopes of the Eastern Hill.
By the mountain stream a mist hovers,
Hovers a moment, then scatters.
There comes a wind blowing from the south
That brushes the fields of new corn.

T'ao Ch'ien (translation by Arthur Waley)

We are still several weeks away from seeing new corn, but for me, these eight lines are the essence of April and springtime.

No comments: