NOTICE

All files on this site have been moved to http://www.wikilivres.ca. All future contributions to Wikilivres should be made there.

This site will be closed on June 6th, 2012.

Free texts and images.

The River-Captain’s Wife – A Letter written by Li Bai, translated by A. S. Kline

Translation of A. S. Kline.

The River-Captain’s Wife – A Letter I with my hair in its first fringe Romped outside breaking flower-heads. You galloped by on bamboo horses. We juggled green plums round the well. 5Living in Chang-kan village, Two small people without guile. At fourteen I married you sir, So bashful I could only hide, 10My frowning face turned to the wall. Called after - never looking back. Fifteen before I learnt to smile. Yearned to be one with you forever. 15You to be the Ever-Faithful. I to not sit lonely, waiting. At sixteen you sir went away, Through White King’s Gorge, by Yen Rock’s rapids, 20When the Yangtze’s at its highest, Where the gibbons cried above you. Here by the door your last footprints, Slowly growing green mosses, 25So deep I cannot sweep them, Leaves so thick from winds of autumn. September’s yellow butterflies Twine together in our west garden. 30What I feel – it hurts the heart. Sadness makes my beauty vanish. When you come down from far places, Please will you write me a letter? 35As far as the farthest reaches, I’ll come out to welcome you. xx

This work is published here under the Creative Commons   license and can be reproduced if non-commercial. cs | de | en | es | fr | ru | zh