Two Poems by Chihe
Tang Dynasty: Bai Juyi
There is no mate in front of the tall bamboo cage, and there is a weathercock in the chaotic flock of chickens. (In a Crowd of Chickens, Part 1: In a Crowd of Chickens)
I lower my head for fear that the red sand will fall, and when I dry my wings, I often suspect that the white snow will disappear.
I suddenly realized that the color of the cormorant's coat was dark, and I felt that the parrot's voice was so coquettish.
What do you think about when you face the wind? Looking at the distant clouds and water in Qingtian.
The crane in the pond is rare among the cranes. It is probably the old Lingwei from Liaodong.
Take cedar branches to the knees and shins, and put flower rhombus pieces to embellished the sweater.
Low back and sleep in the forest, and fly to the sky with great speed.
If you ask where the old nest is, the owner is in love and cannot return.
Translation and Notes
In front of the tall bamboo cage, there is no companion, but among the noisy chickens, he has his own demeanor.
I lower my head for fear of falling cinnabar, and worry that the white short tail will disappear when drying its wings.
In the blink of an eye, I saw the cormorant and thought its coat was dirty, and I hated the parrot’s too flattering cry.
What exactly are you thinking about Feng Ming? Looking melancholy at the green fields and the clouds and water far away in the sky.
The crane in the pond is a rare species of crane, probably the legendary Ding Lingwei from Liaodong.
It stood high on the snowy pine branches, decorating its feathers with water chestnut petals.
When it wanders at low altitude, it will stay in a cage. When it quickly spreads its wings, it will eventually fly into the vast sky.
If you ask it about its old nest, it knows where it is. It just misses its current owner and can't go back.