I would like to find some short poems re tea, teacups, teacpots, etc. They only need be 4-8 lines. I like to give a card with a poem on it when I give a gift of tea items.

Thank you.

-- Sue Miller (irishsue@earthlink.net), September 20, 2004

Answers

In ancient China, picking tea leaves was a common activity in the farm. There were great numbers of poems written about it. The following short poem painted a rustic scene.

Passing a Mountain Hamlet in Late Spring Perchance

In this mountain hamlet Of handful houses watered by a streamlet Damsels were merrily picking tea fresh From the east to the west !

Strolling on a stone lane, Wondering why I left foot prints light and faint. Not knowing all over the sky, Pine flowers were flying high.

From a poem by Ming Dynasty poet Wu Zao.



-- martin (gisling@hotmail.com), November 04, 2004.

Tea House

By Pi Re Xiu - Tang Dynasty poet Translated by Martin Tai

A white house perching on yonder sunny hill,

Kids working with fun

Fetching water from the bamboo hut [1]

Baking tea leaves in the oven

Pa grinds tea on the mill

Mom packs tea into cakes [2]

After all work is done

Time for bamboo gates to shut

Light aroma fills the moonlit mountain

Note

[1]. A hut build over a well.

[2]. In Tang Dynasty, tea leaves were ground into fine powder then packed into tea cakes.

-- martin (gisling@hotmail.com), November 04, 2004.

Passing a Mountain Village

Hark, hark, a water wheel,

In the murmur of a brook flowing

Under that board bridge

Late spring

Not a tree blooming

Where cometh that aroma so close

The wind bringth me ?

Oh ! On yonder hill,

Villagers are baking afternoon tea !

A poem by Ming Dynasty poet Gao Chi Translated by Martin Tai

-- martin (gisling@hotmail.com), November 04, 2004.

Drink Tea with Kang Taoist at Blue Mountain Lagoon

We love to sit in this moutain

Among the white clouds

Lit a bon fire by a wild fountain

Drinking tea so fragrant.

Unwilling to leave

Tied the boat beneath the cliff,

Watch the crystal clear water

Listen to flowing brook murmurs,

Till dusk.

Zhen Ling Yi-- Tang Dyansty Taoist poet. Translated by Martin Tai

-- martin (gisling@hotmail.com), November 04, 2004.

In ancient China, picking tea leaves was a common activity in the farm. There were great numbers of poems written about it. The following short poem painted a rustic scene.

Passing a Mountain Hamlet in Late Spring Perchance

In this mountain hamlet

Of handful houses watered by a streamlet

Damsels were merrily picking tea fresh

From the east to the west !

Strolling on a stone lane,

Wondering why I left foot prints light and faint.

Not knowing all over the sky,

Pine flowers were flying high.

From a poem by Ming Dynasty poet Wu Zao. Translated by Martin Tai

-- martin (gisling@hotmail.com), November 04, 2004.

Tea Harvest

Young girls wearing spring clothe

Racing red banners into the green forest

Delighted to reach the hill shade first

To pick fresh tea into their palms

Sunset painted a landscape of mountains and clouds

Girls brought home baskets of tea havest.

--- A poem by Tsai Rang of Sung Dynasty Translated by Martin Tai

-- martin (gisling@hotmail.com), November 04, 2004.

Saw Luk Yu off to Pick Tea

Thousand mountains greeted my departing friend

When spring tea flourishing again

His profound knowlegde about picking tea

Through morning mist or twilight clouds

That solitary journey has being my envy

Rendezvous in a temple at a remote mountain

We enjoyed picnic by a clear pebble fountain

In this silent night

Lit a candle light

Knocked a marble bell for chime

While deep in thought for old time.

by Huang Pu Zhen-- Tang Dynasty poet, friend

of Tea Sage Luk Yu Translated by Martin Tai

Luk Yu , a famous Tang Dynasty tea sage , the author of "Book of Tea".

Luk Yu befriended may poets of his time, many of them wrote poems about him.

This poem by Huang Pu Zhen was an example.



-- martin (gisling@hotmail.com), November 04, 2004.