crossing Lake Dongting
the flood-serpent’s den encircled by green grass;
Dragon’s Hump Island hides the White Sands station—
guarding the dike, primeval entwined trees:
greeting the oar, the watchful posturing crows—
routing waves governed by a southerly wind;
I bring the boom about, fearing the sunset—
light on the lake partakes of the far-flung heavens:
I long to float off on the immortal raft
Jack Hayes
© 2016
based on Du Fu: 過洞庭湖
guò dòngtíng hú
Image links to its source on Wiki Commons:
Hermit Fisherman on Lake Dongting, by Chinese artist Wu Zhen, Yuan Dynasty period, ink on paper.
中文: 洞庭漁隱
Public domain
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