孟郊诗

Poems of Meng Jiao


Index

寄张籍

For Zhang Ji


未见天子面
不如双盲人
贾生对文帝
终日犹悲辛
夫子亦如盲
所以空泣麟
有时独斋心
仿佛梦称臣
梦中称臣言
觉后真埃尘

We have yet to see the emperor's face.
We're worse than two blind men.
Trouble came to Emperor Wen Di
From spending his days in bitterness.
Even Confucious was blind,
Crying his unicorn's vain tears.
Sometimes, alone in meditation,
It seems as if being an official is a dream.
I speak like an official in my dreams
And afterwards feel that I am dust.

东京有眼富不如
西京无眼贫西京
无眼犹有耳隔墙
时闻天子车辚辚
辚辚车声辗冰玉
南郊坛上礼百神
西明寺后穷瞎张太祝
纵尔有眼谁尔珍
天子咫尺不得见
不如闭眼且养真

Luoyang only has eyes for wealth.
Chang'an is blind to its own poverty.
Blind, but still the walls have ears and
They know when the emperor's cart rumbles by.
Rumbling cart, sound of crushing jade.
On South Altar, offerings for the hundred spirits.
Behind Western Brightness temple, poor Zhang makes offerings, too.
Though you have eyes, who values you?
Emperor approaches but we avert our eyes.
Better to close eyes and cultivate the truth.

-- 孟郊


废话

This is the second poem Meng Jiao has written to the younger poet Zhang Ji. Bai Juyi also esteemed Zhang Ji, who was an outsider and ended up alone, blind, and poor.

This poem takes a very unusual form. Two verses of different line lengths. One extra long line. I suspect this has something to do with Zhang Ji's poetry. Perhaps, Meng Jiao lending support to someone trying new ways.

There were two Emperor Wen Di, one in the Han and one in the Three Kingdoms. The unicorn is the lin whose picture may be found on the Kirin beer bottle.


Index