King Hsuan of Chou hunting south of Mount Ch'i
the artistry of the carving finely rendered
on drum-shaped stones ten in number
eroded by the weather half-eaten by moss
people today wet paper to make prints
patting and brushing until black and white become clear
but no one can read the whole scroll
as lines leap from hiding then vanish
swirl in circles then merge
the work of Prime Minister Shih Liu
who wrote and left this for the world to see
whose spirit has endured the oblivion of time
the Dragon Lord of Ch'in had stones carved too
on Chiehshih and Chihchung are the traces of Li Ssu
people love the ancients and honor their traditions
but looking at these stones how far off they seem