Classic Poem

When you received
the Emperor's command
To quell the dist-
ant boundary,
Sorely I grieved:
against the bridge, your hand
(Farewell!) released,
(o wretched quandary!)

Restraining grief,
and hiding my affliction,
I left
you with this word:
“For long belief,
take love, and my affection:
“Bereft,
I wait.” Who, having heard,

Would have believed
that since you went, no line,
No thing
from you doth reach me?
Alone, bereaved:
remember, whilst I pine,
The Spring
doth freeze and bleach me

Stair-foot, the green is rank and all unmown;
Our bed with dust and webs is overgrown

To speak of our farewell, my soul (ah me!)
With dread doth start; and then
I quake; my mind revolves what I would be
To greet my lord again.

And now to creep
moon of the sea
is my deep desire;
And then the cloud
the mountain brow
doth touch, a wing of fire

Giddy with height,
the light, bright, white
clouds see my husband's face.
Tardy or soon
the deep sea moon
shineth on every place.

By stone
and sward
along
the mount-
ain pass,
(such fate dividing!)

I moan
my lord
so long
unfound
(alas!)
absent abiding.

You left, and when
we said goodby, the bamboo leaves were green
Ah, who would then
have thought the soft
Almond trees had flowered so oft
Before we met again?