March has come to the bridge head, <br />Peach boughs and apricot boughs hang over a thousand <br />gates, <br />At morning there are flowers to cut the heart, <br />And evening drives them on the eastward-flowing <br />waters. <br />Petals are on the gone waters and on the going, <br />And on the back-swirling eddies, <br />But to-day's men are not the men of the old days, <br />Though they hang in the same way over the bridge-rail. <br /> <br />The sea's colour moves at the dawn <br />And the princes still stand in rows, about the throne, <br />And the moon falls over the portals of Sei-go-yo, <br />And clings to the walls and the gate-top. <br />With head gear glittering against the cloud and sun, <br />The lords go forth from the court, and into far borders. <br />They ride upon dragon-like horses, <br />Upon horses with head-trappings of yellow metal, <br />And the streets make way for their passage. <br />Haughty their passing, <br />Haughty their steps as they go in to great banquets, <br />To high halls and curious food, <br />To the perfumed air and girls dancing, <br />To clear flutes and clear singing; <br />To the dance of the seventy couples; <br />To the mad chase through the gardens. <br />Night and day are given over to pleasure <br />And they think it will last a thousand autumns, <br />Unwearying autumns. <br />For them the yellow dogs howl portents in vain, <br />And what are they compared to the lady Riokushu, <br />That was cause of hate! <br />Who among them is a man like Han-rei <br />Who departed alone with his mistress, <br />With her hair unbound, and he his own skiffsman!<br /><br />Ezra Pound<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/poem-by-the-bridge-at-ten-shin/
