Poems
for
Lee Shou Ping

Shu Tong Mountain of Yang Shuo

On the bank of the Li River
The Mountain's shape is tall, straight and handsome
Its upturned reflection clear and distinct
A famous place.
For Muhammad Bugi, the young painter from Pakistan
For when he goes forward and writes up his life
may he come back and use it
Painting with each other all day yesterdsay, with great progress ...
I write these scanty words as a keepsake.

Ko Tao of a holy script

When I touch the Thousand folds of wraps of the holy scripts
On the roof terrace of a sacred Confucius temple in the forbidden city
I breathe in the smell of old Taoist monks
The fragrance brought from the scripts of
Old medieval empire of the Tibetan monks
For the protection of the universe
I was permitted only one fold to touch
In the morning dew as freshly whispering Dawn
I recall my humble existence
And feel the river Lijiang Flowing through my veins
Oh the traveller on the sacred Land
Bow your head for me in the temple of your wisdom
Chant for me in silence and solitudes as I stand
Holding in my hands The sacred essence of yesterday

When I touch the thousand folds of wraps of sacred scroll

On the roof terrace of a sacred Confucius temple in forbidden city
I breathe in the smell of old Taoist monks
The fragrance brought from the scripts of
Old medieval empires of the Tibetan Monks
only one fold as I touch the permitted fold
In the morning dew I gaze at the long Horizon
As I recall my humble existence
and feel the river Lijiang flowing through my veins
Oh the traveller of the sacred Land
Bow for me in the temple of your wisdom
Chant for me In silence and solitudes
As I stand holding in my hands
The sacred essence of yesterday

Li Shouping, Yangshuo

Return to Indigenous Peoples' Literature

Compiled by: Glenn Welker





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