A Light Boat With Short Oars (Picking Mulberries)
Ouyang Xiu


Light boat short oar west lake good
Green water gently curving
Fragrant grass long dyke
Faint pipe song everywhere follow

Without wind water surface glaze smooth
Not notice boat move
Little move ripples
Startle rise sand bird brush bank fly
A light boat with short oars- West Lake is good.
A gentle curve in the green water,
Fragrant grass along the dyke,
The faint sound of pipes and song follows me everywhere.

Without a wind, the water's surface lies as smooth as glaze.
I don't notice boats passing,
Tiny movements start up ripples,
Startled birds rise from the sand and graze the bank in flight.


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