GUAN! GUAN! CRY THE FISH HAWKS

Guan! Guan! Cry the fish hawks

on sandbars in the river:

a mild-mannered good girl,

fine match for the gentleman.

A ragged fringe is the floating-heart,

left and right we trail it:

that mild-mannered good girl,

awake, asleep, I search for her.

I search but cannot find her,

awake, asleep, thinking of her,

endlessly, endlessly,

turning, tossing from side to side.

A ragged fringe is the floating-heart,

left and right we pick it:

the mild-mannered good girl,

harp and lute make friends with her.

A ragged fringe is the floating-heart,

left and right we sort it:

the mild-mannered good girl,

bell and drum delight her.

NOTES:

This is a love poem, describing a man of the royal family in love with a girl collecting edible water plants , and his efforts to court her.