Food for the Dead

An Ancient Wind
Li Bo, trans. Cooper


Did Zhuang Zhou dream
He was the butterfly,
Or the butterfly
That it was Zhuang Zhou?

In one body's
Transformations,
All is present,
Infinite Virtue!

You surely know
Fairyland's oceans
Were made again
Limpid brooklet,

Down at Green Gate
The melon gardener
Once used to be
Marquis of Dong-ling?

Wealth and honour
Were always like this:
You strive and strive,
But what do you seek?