Geese Ascending From A Lake
Far in the northwest stands a house,
High is its tower in the clouds.
Embroidered curtains are at the windows.
The tower rises in three steps,
and from the tower floats a song…
A sad song
with a sad lute playing beside it.
Who can the singer be?
Surely it is she
who has no husband left to her,
no father left, no child.
Her song follows the wind;
it rises and falls.
with the singing, sobbing …
Grief is victor
over her strong will
yet she does not sorrow.
Her life is sad,
but few can understand
the sorrow in her song.
O, to fly like those two wild geese,
rising with beating wings!
~Anon