Seeing North Light

Thursday, July 20, 2023

On Once Hearing Tung Play the Lute

for Lady Tsi's melody

music such as a breeze would blow

by a spring among reeds and willow tree

eighteen verses sung so sadly hard men cried

our envoy hearing her story

wept tears on his sleeve

shuddered with grief

first bass resounded then treble

leaves in the Forest trembled

war warnings by beacons

fire flashed from wilderness hilltops to home

whole country covered with dark white snow

for his melody

Tung like Orpheus learned music from the gods

demons crept from deep forest to hear him

birds flew up circled around

his music gathered all in

slow fast

foreboding

brightening

fading

crescendo clouds

clear skies east

a young swift came flying

now a child screamed in the wilderness

dawn

by the shore of a smooth sea

waves flat

birds silent

exiles in the north

men living apart

remembering their homes

sadness receded

for a moment

Tung comforts them

melancholy

majestic

suddenly set free

by a long gust of wind shaking trees

sudden rain drumming on roof tiles

torrents tree trunks

branches swept by flash floods

wild deer come running

Don’t make Tung play for the Emperor

let his music stay free

unspoiled by fortune or fame

we wish he’ll visit again

Li Ch’I

translated by David Sen, interpreted by Dick Russell

2017, 2023

Monday, July 17, 2023

Near Khan Market, New Delhi 2008

If not for leavings in unswept streets
would cows roam free and stray dogs eat?

to Lodhi Gardens from the Taj at dawn
stepping into the street off the pavement
when not yet light to avoid a family’s sleeping feet
bare white soled where their business was
then before breakfast crossing the road
to walk a circuit of Muslim tombs
entering well kempt gardens through park gates
joining others brought by car
then back past General Badhwar’s house

to
ham rashers
fried eggs
toast
not yet reading India Legal

reading Sniffing Papa.

Copyright © Dick Russell 2016, 2023

Saturday, July 15, 2023

The Lutenist’s Melancholy

She roams my love

so softly love she roams

these grim districts

where homeless queue

for beds in tenements

to each she brings

to each unsmiling face

she brings her love

her smile soft words

her best encouragements

she stays my love

so softly love she stays

by those these flight-

less wounded doves

she soothes she sings laments

So roams a child

so hopefully she roams

these streets these squares

will she survive

all these impediments?

she roams my love

so softly love she roams

by these in need

these folk at bay

huddled on cold pavements

she hears my love

so softly love she hears

the quiet curses

of the poor words

without embellishments