A Poem of Tang
唐诗
There was a country far off the sea
海外存远国
On the land of the east
云遥有东土
I heard it when I was young
童稚闻其名
Mum said it's called Tang
母告吾谓唐
I once dreamed a poet called Li
梦遇诗人李
Wrote a poem on my skin
题诗缀吾臂
But I didn't know how to read it
莫能诵其语
So I traveled to find him
遂别将其觅
I heard the camel bells ring
沙吹响驼铃
The vulture fly in the wind
人走见飞鹰
Far far away from hometown
乡远莫能返
Dad's afraid I was too young
父恐吾尚青
Ah the kids read in the morning
晨曦朗书童
Ah the bell tower rings
古寺钟声重
Ah I pass the temple
伽蓝殿前走
Ah the monk smiles to me
僧笑佛前人
They said there was a man called Li
僧言有李氏
He's famous in the dynasty
名重王朝倾
He do poetry with poets in restaurants
斗诗青楼内
Left calligraphy on the ground
酒醉吐腹经
An old sold wine beyond the city
路遇翁卖酒
By the road to the moat in the rain
雨沥城门净
He said that is named An named Chang
翁言谓长安
So I believed the poet would be found
遂入观其景
Ah I see great buildings
楼穷现煌宇
Ah in them poets drink and sing
骚客共饮歌
Ah I pass the palace
大明宫前过
Ah flowers bloom around me
袖畔繁花生
Ah I see Buddha statue sits
佛坐莲花落
Ah I see the Emperor through the street
帝过千人迎
Ah I pass a lantern
人过阑珊处
Ah it light up the poem on my skin
灯笼照臂诗
In the south I saw its romance
城南司浪漫
In the north I saw its majesty
入北转威严
Below the sun it was bustling
日下荣其盛
Below the moon I heard its silence
月前响其静
I saw a man wear white in the rain
微雨见白衣
Just like the poet in my dream
恰如梦中影
He took wine and read a poem
把酒笑吟诗
Just like the lyrics of this song
恰如此歌行
A poem written for the Tang
诗以唐之名
