Siwang Pavilion Tom Sharp

1. After it rains, I walk down to the old fish pond. Duckweed floats and frogs croak. A small orchard survives and the plums are ripe, but the crabapple hasn’t woken from its long sleep. An old man leaning on a cane carries groceries. Otherwise, no one enjoys the garden. Peonies once adorned the palace; they continue to return each spring. 2. The pavilion’s been abandoned. No one tends its fish pond below. When dusk falls on the mountains, the breeze carries the smell of grasses. Gradually, the city bridge, bustling during the day, becomes silent. Storks and cranes fly in from nowhere and their cries fill the sky.

雨晴后步至四望亭下鱼池上遂自乾明寺前东冈上归二首 苏轼

一 雨过浮萍合，蛙声满四邻。 海棠真一梦，梅子欲尝新。 拄杖闲挑菜，秋千不见人。 殷勤木芍药，独自殿余春。 二 高亭废已久，下有种鱼塘。 暮色千山入，春风百草香。 市桥人寂寂，古寺竹苍苍。 鹳鹤来何处，号鸣满夕阳。