My House Is Unroofed By Strong Autumnal Winds
By DU Fu （Tang Dynasty)
Tr. JOHN ZHAO Yizhong
In August the strong autumnal winds roar;
From th' roof they rolled up triple thatches 'nd more.
Thatches flew past the rill 'nd fell on the shore,
Some hung on the tops of the trees that soar,
Some fall down into the pond and the moor.
Kids from south village bully me old an' weak;
They rob me fore my face, I am so bleak,
To take thatches into bamboos they sneak.
I call them in vain till lips are parched 'nd dry;
Back but I lean alone on my cane 'nd sigh.
Soon the gale stopped, and clouds turned black as ink;
The fall sky's shrouded in darkness in blink.
The cotton quilt for years 's iron-like chill;
The quilt's broken in sleep by kids not still.
From th' roof the rain leaks o'er beds nowhere dry;
Ceaseless the rain falls thick and fast from th' sky.
Since AN Lushan's rebellion I've few sleep;
Wet thro, o'er so long night how can I keep?
How could I get thousands of mansions vast?
I'd house poor scholars 'nd make them glad at last;
In storm these mansions would stand like mounts high.
Alas! When could these mansions show before my eye?
Cold in my poor house, I'd content if I would die.
