Florence Ayscough and Amy Lowell, trans. On the Classic of the Hills and Sea. Harriet Monroe, ed. Poetry: A Magazine of Verse. 1912-22

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

On the Classic of the Hills and Sea

By Florence Ayscough and Amy Lowell, trans.


From “Chinese Written Wall Pictures” T’ao Ch’ien—Fourth Century IN what place does the cinnabar-red tree of the alchemists seed?
Upon the sun-slopes
Of Mount Mi
It pushes out its yellow flowers
And rounds its crimson fruit.	5
Eat it and you will live forever.

The frozen dew is like white jade.
It shimmers with the curious light of gems.
Does the Yellow Emperor regard these things
Because it is the fashion to do so	10
Among people of importance?