The following exerpt was written by Po Chu-I
in his work, To Li Chien, written in the year 819 CE.
"At Rise
of Day We Sacrificed to the Wind God"
At
rise of day we sacrificed to the Wind God,
When
darkly, darkly, dawn glittered in the sky.
Officers
followed, horsemen led the way;
They
brought us out to the wastes beyond the town,
Where
river mists fall heavier than rain,
And
the fires on the hill leap higher than the stars.
Suddenly
I remembered the early levees at Court
When
you and I galloped to the Purple Yard.
As
we walked our horses up Dragon Tail Way
We
turned and gazed at the green of the Southern Hills.
Since
we parted, both of us have been growing old;
And
our minds have been vexed by many anxious cares;
Yet
even now I fancy my ears are full
Of
the sound of jade tinkling on your bridle-straps.
