Sitting in the flowers with a bottle of wine,
alone, I pour another glass
and raise it to salute the moon,
who, with my shadow, makes three of us.
The moon’s not drinking;
my shadow’s a copycat;
let’s have fun anyway,
enjoy Spring while we can.
I sing: the moon dances.
I dance: my shadow staggers.
While I drink, they’re my best friends:
when I fall over, they scatter.
Promise me we’ll be friends for ever,
do this again with the stars in heaven.
(after Li Bai [Li Po],701-762)
Wild Bill Balding
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/off-his-face-in-the-flower-border-after-li-bai/
