–

–
The Beautiful Toilet

–
–
Blue, blue is the grass about the river

And the willows have overfilled the close garden.

And within, the mistress, in the midmost of her youth.

White, white of face, hesitates, passing the door.

Slender, she puts forth a slender hand;

–

And she was a courtezan in the old days,

And she has married a sot,

Who now goes drunkenly out

And leaves her too much alone.

–

By Mei Sheng, B.C. 140

–

 [/ezcol_1half] [ezcol_1half_end]   

–

El hermoso tocado

–
–
Azul, azul es la hierba a la vera del río

Y en el jardín grávido de sauces

La dueña, en la flor de la juventud

Cándido el rostro, vacila al cruzar el portón.

Esbelta, adelanta una mano sutil.

–

Antaño fue cortesana

Pero desposó a un borrachín

Que sale a beber.

Y la deja demasiado sola.

–
Mei Sheng, 140 A. C.

–

–

–
Pound’s free translation
of a Mei Sheng poem from 140 BCE

–
The Chinese Original:
–
古詩十九首．青青河畔草
青青河畔草，鬱鬱園中柳。
盈盈樓上女，皎皎当窗牖。
娥娥紅粉妝，芊芊出素手。
昔為倡家女，今為蕩子婦。
蕩子行不歸，空床難獨守。

–

–
Herbert Gile’s version of translation,

adhering to strict formalism, including rhyme

of classical Chinese poetry:

–
–
Green grows the grass upon the bank
The willow-shoots are long and lank;
A lady in a glistening gown
Opens the casement and looks down
The roses on her cheek blush bright,
Her rounded arm is dazzling white;
A singing-girl in early life,
And now a careless roue’s wife…
Ah, if he does not mind his own,
He’ll find some day die bird has flown!

–

–

Ezra Pound

Antología poética

Selección y traducción

Carlos Viola Soto

Compañía General Fabril Editora

Buenos Aires, 1963

Los Poetas

colección dirigida por

Aldo Pellegrini

–

–

–

–