A Response to a Friend Who is Frank

How many close friends a man may have?

The old is too shrewd, the small is too raw.

Maybe one can count on one's loving wife.

Sometimes she nags, somehow she rows.

Since the ancient, sages are mostly lonely,
most of the authors would live a poor life.

You’d better, self-esteem as a luminary,

make fun yourself and laugh yourself.

Confucius had been refused everywhere.

Cao Xueqin perished his life in the snow.

Qu Yuan buried with grievance in a river.
Li Qingzhao suffered her life all in woe.

My body is old but my heart is big with cheer,

I confer myself both the power and a laurel.

This causes my old wife laughing with jeer,

I myself laugh long and loud even more!

2017 Valentine's Day

This is a translation from the author’s Chinese work

 originally posted on: http://blog.udn.com/Y282686/article