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Title: Moral Metaphors
Author: George Borrow [
More Titles by Borrow]
From the Chinese.
1.
From out the South the genial breezes sigh,
They shake the bramble branches to and fro,
Whose lovely green delights the gazer's eye--
A mother's thoughts are troubled even so.
From out the South the genial breezes move,
They shake the branches of the bramble-tree;
Unless the sons fair men and honest prove,
The virtuous mother will dishonor'd be.
The frigid fount with violence and spray
By Shiyoun's town upcasts its watery store;
Though full seven sons she give to life and day
The mother's heart is but disturb'd the more.
When sings the redbreast it is bliss to hear
The dulcet notes the little songster breeds;
But ah, more blissful to a mother's ear
The fair report of seven good children's deeds.
2.
Survey, survey Gi Shoi's murmuring flood!
How its bamboos with living green are gay;
Survey the great, illustrious and good--
How sculptur'd, polish'd and refin'd are they!
What elegance and majesty they bear!
What witchery lurketh in their voice and eyes;
View them but once, and whilst thou breath'st the air
Thou'lt ne'er forget the great, the good and wise.
Survey, survey Gi Shoi's murmuring flood!
How its bamboos uptower in green array;
The bonnets of the great, the wise and good
At either ear an agate gem display;
Bright as a star the crownlet of their hair--
What witchery lurketh in their voice and eyes;
Survey them once, and whilst thou breath'st the air
Thou'lt ne'er forget the great, the good and wise.
Survey, survey Gi Shoi's murmuring flood!
Like to the green bamboos upon it's shore
Are the illustrious, the great and good--
More pure than gold, more soft than stannine ore;
The round imperial agate's not more sheen;
Ever magnanimous and constant found,
On glory's car they sit with placid mien,
And smile benign where jocund sports abound.
[The end]
George Borrow's poem: Moral Metaphors
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