A Mortal Life, Born of One Thought · Above and Below, All Connected · 88 / 102
Ru Sai · This Body a Guest
Into the grey mountains, hoping for nothing else—a cold moon hangs. Snow-dust settles close on the shoulder, the horse let loose flashes past the great pass. Longing pulls at me, ten thousand ages stern.
The pipa held in my arms gives the years back; war drums beat—the fire of armies in an instant. The long serpent hisses and roars, stewing the nether springs. Before the hurrying brush, another story is added.
Glosses—
Snow-dust: the fine grains of snow the wind carries with it;
Flash [che]: to streak past at great speed;
Nether springs: the underworld, the realm of the dead.
*This is an original work. If you reprint it, please credit the original author Guang Zhi Shiyi; any infringement, once discovered, will be pursued for legal liability. In addition, the accompanying image comes from the internet and belongs to the original illustrator Yichui Wuyue.