Enjoying the Cool by Wang Wei

(Translated by Pauline Yu)

Tall trees—more than ten thousand trunks:

A pure flow threading through their midst.

Ahead, above the mouth of the great river

Clear and free comes a distant wind.

Flowing ripples dampen the white sand;

White sturgeon seem to swim in the void.

I lie down upon a large flat rock;

Rising billows cleanse my humble body.

I rinse my mouth and then wash my feet,

And face an old fisherman in front of me.

Greedy for bait—how many altogether?

Vain thoughts, east of the lotus leaves.