A Hundred and Seventy Chinese Poems/The Old Harp
THE OLD HARP
Of cord and cassia-wood is the harp compounded:
Within it lie ancient melodies.
Ancient melodies — weak and savourless,
Not appealing to present men's taste.
Light and colour are faded from the jade stops:
Dust has covered the rose-red strings.
Decay and ruin came to it long ago,
But the sound that is left is still cold and clear.
I do not refuse to play it, if you want me to:
But even if I play, people will not listen.
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How did it come to be neglected so?
Because of the Ch'iang flute and the Ch'in flageolet.[1]
- ↑ Barbarous modern instruments.