The loneliness of the long distance official

Wei Yingwu mourns his in inability to prevent humanitarian crises

To Li Dan and Yuan Xi
Wei Yingwu

A year since last we met,
But what will happen in this world
Remains too hard to see.

The flowers bloom again.
The darkness of a spring despair
Weighs me down with sleep.

I’m sick and long for peace,
Embarrassed to be paid to govern
Death and refugees.

I heard you’d visit me,
And watched each meeting moon that waxed
And waned and ceased to be.

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Wei Yingwu (unknown-792) was sent to Xuzhou in 784, and obviously didn’t enjoy it much. This poem is unusual in talking directly about Wei’s possible failures as a governor.

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韦应物 寄李儋元锡

去年花里逢君别，今日花开又一年。

世事茫茫难自料，春愁黯黯独成眠。

身多疾病思田里，邑有流亡愧俸钱。

闻道欲来相问讯，西楼望月几回圆。