Classic Poem

When I was young
long years in the West
I dwelt by myself in a solitary place.
My mansion was vast and rambling,
yet I found no diversions
My neighbor to the East had a daughter
black her hair, comely her figure,
moth eyebrows and white teeth,
Features full and sensual,
a luster like flashing light.
She often gazed towards my residence
as if she would wish me to join her;
As she mounted her steps
she would pause and look at me.
Though I lived there three years
I avoided her and never complied,
for I was mindful of Your Highness's
strict standards:
you had commanded me to ride eastwards.
My journey took me through lascivious Zheng
and lubricious Wei,
my path took me through Sang Zhong
In the morning I set off from the region of Zhun Wei,
in the evening I lodged at a great mansion
This mansion was an empty but elegant residence
all by itself among the clouds:
its doors had been shut to the light.
It seemed a fairy palace.
I pushed my way in through the shuttered door,
found my way to the hall;
Exotic perfumes and fine scents hovered in the air,
rich screens and tapestries furnished it.
And there in this room a lady waited alone:
curvaciously beautiful, reclining on the bed
In sweetly perfumed and languid charm,
her skin clear, her features vivid
Seeing hesitation in my step,
she smiled and said:
So what country are you from?
Have you traveled far to this place?"
She offered me wine,
brought out a bird-toned lute;
So I touched the strings
and played White Snow
and the Dark Orchid.
And then she sang this poem:
" In solitude here, alas,
in empty vastness, no one to care for me,
I long for my handsome prince, alas,
I am wounded with sorrow
Here is my handsome prince, alas,
but how long he delays,
Till day becomes evening, alas,
and my flower complexion fades.
To you I dare confide my body,
long may you and I be intimate."
She was so close that her jade hairpins
brushed my hat,
her gauze sleeves whispered against my clothes
The sun went down in the West,
mysterious dusk set in,
the light was swallowed up.
Outside, the wind flowed sad and chill,
cold silk snow swirling.
In our closed room all was quiet,
not a sound was heard.
On the bed were laid
exotic coverlets and sheets.
A golden brazier breathed out scented smoke,
the curtains round the bed were lowered,
The quilt turned back,
the ivory pillow set horizontal.
She stepped out of her robe,
showed off her undergarments,
Revealed her white body,
full delicate nakedness,
shapely beauty
Then she came close to me
wrapping her soft body
slipping like paste around me.
My pulse of course was regular,
my heart was purposeful within my breast:
As the Songs say:
" Clearly we were sworn to good faith":
I held my resolution upright,
there could be no faltering.
With such lofty example I made my long goodbye. "