Du Fu falls off his horse

Tang poetry could be funny, too

A Visit by Esteemed Personages (with Wine) After I Fall Off My Horse, Drunk

Du Fu

.

The governor’s old friend Mr Du

Had eaten well. The wine was strong,

And when I'd had a drink or two,

My ceremonial pike I drew,

And bawled an old-time song.

.

I called my horse and suddenly

My youth came flooding back to me.

The horse's hooves went flying free,

They scattered Qutang stones and scree,

I rode triumphantly!

.

Above the clouds, above the river,

The gates to White Emperor Town.

My body crouched down in a sliver,

The horse galloped to deliver

Eight thousand feet straight down.

.

Those crenellations white as snow,

The flapping, snapping reins of red,

A lightning bolt in purest flow,

We burst from the cliff to the plain below—

I gave the horse her head.

.

Each river town and lonely shack

Came streaming past my speeding eyes,

The whip and bridle hanging slack,

We charged along that royal track,

Just gripping with my thighs.

.

Ten thousand people gaped in awe

To see this mounted white-hair coming,

And I recalled my days before

(You don't forget the nock and draw)

My hunting bow was thrumming!

.

I left our path to the horse's care,

She chased the wind, her hooves were quick,

Vermillion sweat on sable hair,

And nostrils pluming jade in the air,

But how could I predict?

.

She'd trip and buck, a catapult.

I came down hard, a sorry case.

Life picks its moment to insult

And just as you in joy exult

Blows raspberries in your face.

.

So now I play the invalid,

All pale I faint on my divan,

My groans especially warranted

By the harm the years did,

A poor old man I am!

.

Your visit stopped my sad decline.

A brave smile on my suffering face,

I heaved myself up, stick and vine,

And leaning on this boy of mine,

Bid welcome to my place.

.

I spoke my lines and you replied—

I broke the solemn courtesy

By giggling so hard that we cried,

"Let's picnic by the riverside!

Your arms to steady me."

.

The wines! The meat! Another trolley!

Take more or risk my disapproving.

The string quartet's too melancholy,

Break out the pipes! Play something jolly

And get these old bones moving!

.

When finally the setting sun

Ignores our protests, will not shine,

We cheer the end of drinking fun

And from our upturned beakers run

The final drops of wine.

.

Friends, you rode to nurse and nourish—

You should think twice, you should think double.

I'll finish with a historical flourish:

Xi Kang wrote a whole book on this stuff,

And he got his head chopped off for his trouble!

______________________

Du Fu was in a town called Baidicheng, which translates as White Emperor Town. It was a fortified town on a hilltop in the very steep and mountainous part of Sichuan. It overlooks the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, which cuts deep valleys and gorges through the hills.

Qutang is a steep gorge near to the town.

Xi Kang (also written Ji Kang) was a legendary poet, writer, and musician who lived about 500 years earlier. His work included An Essay on Nourishing Life, on his ideas about health. Like so many prolific writers, his ideas ultimately got him into trouble with the authorities, and he was executed.

______________________

杜甫  醉为马坠， 诸公携酒相看

甫也诸侯老宾客，罢酒酣歌拓金戟。

骑马忽忆少年时，散蹄迸落瞿塘石。

白帝城门水云外，低身直下八千尺。

粉堞电转紫游缰，东得平冈出天壁。

江村野堂争入眼，垂鞭亸鞚凌紫陌。

向来皓首惊万人，自倚红颜能骑射。

安知决臆追风足，朱汗骖驔犹喷玉。

不虞一蹶终损伤，人生快意多所辱。

职当忧戚伏衾枕，况乃迟暮加烦促。

明知来问腆我颜，杖藜强起依僮仆。

语尽还成开口笑，提携别扫清溪曲。

酒肉如山又一时，初筵哀丝动豪竹。

共指西日不相贷，喧呼且覆杯中渌。

何必走马来为问，君不见嵇康养生遭杀戮。