Getting Up Early on a Spring Morning

More Translations from the Chinese, by Arthur Waley, [1919], at sacred-texts.com

p. 80

[48] GETTING UP EARLY ON A SPRING MORNING

(Part of a poem written when Governor of Soochow in 825)

The early light of the rising sun shines on the beams of my house;
The first banging of opened doors echoes like the roll of a drum.
The dog lies curled on the stone step, for the earth is wet with dew;
The birds come near to the window and chatter, telling that the day is fine.
With the lingering fumes of yesterday's wine my head is still heavy;
With new doffing of winter clothes my body has grown light.