Hard is the Journey

by Li Bai

　　thousands a gallon,

　　Jade dishes of rare meats,

　　costing more thousands,

　　I lay my chopsticks down,

　　no more can banquet,

　　I draw my sword and stare

　　wildly about me:

　　Ice bars my way to cross

　　the Yellow River,

　　Snows from dark skies to climb

　　the T'ai-hang mountains!

　　At peace I drop a hook

　　into a brooklet,

　　At once I'm in a boat

　　but sailing sunward...

　　(Hard is the journey,

　　Hard is the journey,

　　So many turnings,

　　And now where am I?)

　　So when a breeze breaks waves,

　　bringing fair weather,

　　I set a cloud for sails,

　　cross the blue oceans!

　　Li Po