Convalescing by Tom Sharp

People brought me wine because I hurt myself when I was drunk. The last I remember was at the duke’s party. I believe that I sang a song of bravery and felt young and strong again, then I’m not sure what I did. I remember swinging a golden sword and riding into the clouds on a powerful horse whose hooves slipped on the stone ledge above the Qutang gorge. I plunged down eight thousand feet and I felt that nothing could harm me. As I fell, fortresses and cities passed before my eyes. Calvarys pursued me but their swords and arrows were futile. Everyone was impressed that an old man with such white hair could ride and shoot arrows so beautifully. So it’s hard to understand what I’m doing in bed with my body bruised, my cane broken. Thank you for trying to cheer me up, but wine numbs the pain for only a night.

醉为马坠，诸公携酒相看 by 杜甫 (Du Fu)

甫也诸侯老宾客，罢酒酣歌拓金戟。 骑马忽忆少年时，散蹄迸落瞿塘石。 白帝城门水云外，低身直下八千尺。 粉堞电转紫游缰，东得平冈出天壁。 江村野堂争入眼，垂鞭亸鞚凌紫陌。 向来皓首惊万人，自倚红颜能骑射。 安知决臆追风足，朱汗骖驔犹喷玉。 不虞一蹶终损伤，人生快意多所辱。 职当忧戚伏衾枕，况乃迟暮加烦促。 明知来问腆我颜，杖藜强起依僮仆。 语尽还成开口笑，提携别扫清溪曲。 酒肉如山又一时，初筵哀丝动豪竹。 共指西日不相贷，喧呼且覆杯中渌。 何必走马来为问，君不见嵇康养生遭杀戮。