Beating the drum Tom Sharp

I’d rather march with my fellow soldiers, beating the drum, but I’ve been ordered south to mediate the peace between Chen and Song. The walls and moat around the city are strong, but there’s no rest here for me. It will be a long time before I’ll see my wife again. During a battle, if you lose your horse, there’s no way out of it but to prevail or die. I feel as though I’ve lost my horse in a forest. I made a vow to stand by my wife to live together and grow old together, but now I feel lost and helpless. I’m afraid that she’ll lose faith in me. Our separation seems as great as death and it grows wider every day.

击鼓 诗经

击鼓其镗，踊跃用兵。 土国城漕，我独南行。 从孙子仲，平陈与宋。 不我以归，忧心有忡。 爰居爰处？爰丧其马？ 于以求之？于林之下。 死生契阔，与子成说。 执子之手，与子偕老。 于嗟阔兮，不我活兮。 于嗟洵兮，不我信兮。