Soon now, we'll mark the year's end that approaches,
It's like a snake that crawls into a hole.
Already half its scaly length is hidden,
What man can stop us losing the last trace?
And even if we want to tie its tail,
No matter how we try, we can't succeed.
The children make all effort not to sleep,
We laugh together, watching through the night.
The cockerels should not cry the dawn for now,
The drums as well should give the hour respect.
We sat so long the lamp's burnt down to ash,
I rise and see the Plough is slanting north.
Next year, perhaps, my span of years could end,
My fear is that I've just been marking time.
So exert ourselves to the utmost here tonight,
I still admire the exuberance of our youth!
Su Shi (1037 - 1101) China
View the poem in Chinese here
Pleasurable thank you for sharing.
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