Sunset

By Tu Fu

713–770

Sunset glitters on the beads

Of the curtains. Spring flowers

Bloom in the valley. The gardens

Along the river are filled

With perfume. Smoke of cooking

Fires drifts over the slow barges.

Sparrows hop and tumble

in the Branches. Whirling insects

Swarm in the air. Who discovered

That one cup of thick wine

Will dispell a thousand cares?

Translated from the Chinese by Kenneth Rexroth