1111. Drinking Alone Beneath the Moon - Li Po (701-762)

Translated by Irving Y. Lo

A pot of wine among the flowers:

I drink alone, no kith or kin near.

I raise my cup to invite the moon to join me;

It and my shadow make a party of three.

Alas, the moon is unconcerned about drinking,

And my shadow merely follows me around.

Briefly I cavort with the moon and my shadow:

Pleasure must be sought while it is spring.

I sing and the moon goes back and forth,

I dance and my shadow falls at random.

While sober we seek pleasure in fellowship;

When drunk we go each our own way.

Then let us pledge a friendship without human ties

And meet again at the far end of the Milky Way

1110. C Is For Charms - Eleanor Farjeon

I met a Strange Woman

With things in her arms.

‘What have you got, Woman?

‘Charms,’ she said, ‘charms.’

‘I will put one on you

‘Ere I have done.

‘Which shall I put on you?’

’None ‘ I said, ’none!’

Oh, how she smiled at me.

’Nay, then, my dear,

Look, do but look at them.

What do you fear?’

‘I’ve a black charm for night

And a gold one for noon,

A white charm for winter,

A rose charm for June;’

‘I’ve a green charm for woods,

And a blue one for water,

And a silver for moons

When they’re in their first quarter.’

‘I’ve a slow charm for growth,

And a swift one for birds,

And a soft one for sleep,

And a sweet one for words.’

‘I’ve a long charm for love,

And a strong charm for youth,

And one you can’t change

Or destroy, for the truth.’

’Sorry’s the man my dear,

Sorry, she said,

‘Who wanders through life 

With no charm on his head.’

O how she smiled at me.

‘Big one or small,

‘Which shall I put on you?’

‘All,’ I said, ‘all!’