The bamboos that I planted
are a riot of blazing green
and the peach trees that I nurtured
burst out in shining pink
the moon in the stone mirror
shines inside my heart
the wind from the snow-capped mountains
blows across my face
here's the red-stemmed writing brush
presented to me at court
and here's the silver tablet
they gave to an aging man
did you think someone
who's lost most of his teeth
would see his name in the list
of official court appointments?