III. Chu Miao

The Chu Miao; allusive and narrative. Celebrating the service of the earl of Shao in building the city of Seay, and the cheerful alacrity of his soldiers under his management.

1As the young millet, by the genial rain
  Enriched, shoots up luxuriant and tall,
So, when we southward marched with toil and pain,
  The earl of Shao cheered and inspired us all.

2We pushed our barrows, and our burdens bore;
  We drove our wagons, and our oxen led.
"The work once done, our labor there is o’er,
  And home we travel," to ourselves we said. p. 320

3Close kept our footmen round the chariot track;
  Our eager host in close battalions sped.
"When once our work is done, then we go back,
  Our labor over," to themselves they said.

4Hard was the work we had at Seay to do,
  But Shao's great earl the city soon upreared
The host its service gave with ardor true;—
  Such power in all the earl's commands appeared!

5We did on plains and low lands what was meet;
  We cleared the springs and streams, the land to drain.
The earl of Shao announced his work complete,
  And the king's heart reposed, at rest again.