Collected Songs of Cold Mountain (eBook)

This authoritative, bilingual edition represents the first time the entirety of Cold Mountain's poetry has been translated into English.These translations were originally published by Copper Canyon Press nearly twenty years ago. Now, significantly revised and expanded, the collection also includes a new preface by the translator, Red Pine, whose accompanying notes are at once scholarly, accessible, and entertaining. Also included for the first time are poems by two of Cold Mountain's colleagues.Legendary for his clarity, directness, and lack of pretension, the eight-century hermit-poet Cold Mountain (Han Shan) is a major figure in the history of Chinese literature and has been a profound influence on writers and readers worldwide. Writers such as Charles Frazier and Gary Snyder studied his poetry, and Jack Kerouac's Dharma Bums is dedicated "e;to Han Shan."e; 1.Bstoried cliffs were the fortune I castbird trails beyond human trackswhat surrounds my yardwhite clouds nesting dark rocksI've lived here quite a few yearsand always seen the spring-water changetell those people with tripods and bellsempty names are no damn good 71.someone sits in a mountain gorgecloud robe sunset tasselshandful of fragrances he'd sharethe road is long and hardregretful and doubtfulold and unaccomplishedthe crowd calls him crippledhe stands alone steadfast 205.my place is on Cold Mountainperched on a cliff beyond the circuit of afflictionimages leave no trace when they vanishI roam the whole galaxy from herelights and shadows flash across my mindnot one dharma comes before mesince I found the magic pearlI can go anywhere everywhere it's perfect Cold MountainA mountain man lives under thatchbefore his gate carts and horses are rarethe forest is quiet but partial to birdsthe streams are wide and home to fishwith his son he picks wild fruitwith his wife he hoes between rockswhat does he have at homea shelf full of nothing but books