Old Man Fishing

From The Spectator, 10 August, 1993

Old Man Fishing
by Kao CHi (1336-74)
translated by Graeme Wilson

In his short reed-cape that old man in his boat
Looks like some hedgehog floating on a duck
As, under river-skies and far from home,
He fishes, fishes, fishes without luck.

For the fish, deep-burrowed into winter mud,
Lie safe from sinking seine or trawling net.

When home at last to his wretched fishing-village
What kind of welcome can hope to get
But the barking of dogs and Hunger written large
On the moon's white plate by a pine-tree's silhouette?