Wednesday, August 20, 2008

 

Lament of an Office Worker

Liu Cheng (died 217 A.D.), tr. Burton Watson:
Office work: a wearisome jumble;
ink drafts, a crosshatch of deletions and smears.
Racing the writing brush, no time to eat,
sun slanting down but never a break;
swamped and muddled in records and reports,
head spinning till it's senseless and numb—
I leave off and go west of the wall,
climb the height and let my eyes roam:
square embankments hold back the clear water,
wild ducks and geese at rest in the middle—
Where can I get a pair of whirring wings
so I can join you to bob on the waves?
Related post: Escape.



<< Home
Newer›  ‹Older

This page is powered by Blogger. Isn't yours?