Arthur Waley, trans. The Pedlar of Spells. Harriet Monroe, ed. Poetry: A Magazine of Verse. 1912-22

Harriet Monroe, ed. (1860–1936). Poetry: A Magazine of Verse. 1912–22.

The Pedlar of Spells

By Arthur Waley, trans.


From “Chinese Poems” Lu Yu—Twelfth Century AN OLD man selling charms in a cranny of the town-wall.
He writes out spells to bless the silk-worms and spells to protect the corn.

With the money he gets each day he only buys wine;
Nor does he worry when his legs wobble,
For he has a boy to lean on.	5