Parading

Before the rebels took Ch’ang-an,

Tu Fu escaped the fabled city
Tu Fu escaped the fabled city
Tu Fu escaped the fabled city
where Christian, Jew, and Manichaean
where Christian, Jew, and Manichaean
held court with Buddhists. The Emperor,
held court with Buddhists. The Emperor,
who wrote lyrics and composed, had fled.
who wrote lyrics and composed, had fled.
Months later, crossing moonlit fields
Months later, crossing moonlit fields
stippled bright with human bones,
stippled bright with human bones,
Tu Fu wrote that poetry is useless,
Tu Fu wrote that poetry is useless,
in a poem alive these thousand years. —John Balaban
in a poem alive these thousand years.
—John Balaban

atoms

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