Stone Statues Of the Sacred Way - 神道石人

This poem was originally conceived on 09 June, 2015 while looking at a photo of the Tang Dynasty imperial tombs.  Then in 17 August 2018 came a minor update and now almost three years later, still another update...

石頭人上石頭淚,
風擊雨打不停遂.   
神道威武先百年,
唯今能記有幾誰.

石頭人上石頭淚, Upon the stone figures are stony tears,

風摧雨捶拳拳巨.The blasting wind, the pummeling rain each a fist of prodigiousness,

神道威武先百年, And for the formidability of the Sacred Way in the first hundred years,

唯今能記有幾誰. How many of now would remember this?

雨打淚滴石頭人 Tears upon the stone statues in the pummeling rain,

風吹聲歎千秋恨 And sighs of the howling wind during the past thousand autumns.
神道兩傍對無言 Two sides of the sacred way, they faced at each other in silence,
今時威武有誰問 How many of now would ask of their once formidability?

Friday, September 17, 2021