DRINK WITH ME [I]
She pours you grape wine
in golden cups, and she’s
just fifteen, the girl of Wu.
She comes astride a pony,
her soft cotton boots so red.
Brows painted pure black,
singing with a lispy twang.
What can you do but concur
when she leans against you,
behind the hibiscus curtain?
對酒
葡萄酒. 金叵羅，
吳姬十五細馬馱，
青黛畫眉紅錦靴，
道字不正嬌唱歌，
玳瑁筵中盃中醉，
芙蓉帳裏奈君何。
DRINK WITH ME [II]
Don’t say no to my offer of wine, look
how the spring wind has come laughing.
Peaches and plums are like old friends
poking their flower faces in my face.
Orioles are calling from emerald trees,
the moon is sticking her nose in my wine.
Yesterday’s rosy cheeks we thought would stay.
Today our hair has turned more and still more gray.
Thorns have overgrown on Stone Tiger’s palace,
deers are running wild everywhere at Gusu terrace.
Ancient monuments of kings and princes
all fallen down and turned to yellow dust,
what reason can you give me for refusing my wine?
Show me anyone from history who didn’t have to die!
對酒
勸君莫拒杯，春風笑人來。
桃李如舊識，傾花向我開。
流鶯啼碧樹，明月窺金罍。
昨日朱顏子，今日白髮催。
棘生石虎殿，鹿走姑蘇台。
自古帝王宅，城闕閉黃埃。
君若不飲酒，昔人安在哉。
Another Chicago Magazine 