"Untied Boat" (Yu Xuanji's Song)

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AN UNTIED BOAT DRIFTS OUT TO SEA
THROUGH SLANTING STREAKS OF DAWN.
THE HARBORMASTER WAS TO SECURE THE KNOT,
BUT, DRUNK ON BITTER WINE, HE FORGOT.
NOW AWAKE, HE RUNS TO RIGHT HIS MISTAKE,
BUT THE BOAT'S ALREADY GONE.

HE WRINGS HIS HANDS AND LAMENTS HIS LUCK.
WHAT WILL THE OWNER SAY?
COULD IT BE RETRIEVED? IT'S NOT SO FAR YET,
BUT THEN HIS HAIR AND NEW COAT WOULD GET WET.
SO HE JUST SQUINTS INTO THE GROWING LIGHT OF DAY
AS THE BOAT DRIFTS FURTHER AWAY.

NOW THE FISHERMEN ARE RETURNING
TO BEGIN THEIR DAILY EARNING.
THEY FIND THE UNMANNED BOAT CONCERNING.
IN TURN, EACH STARES,
RELIEVED IT ISN'T THEIRS.

THE OWNER ARRIVES AND SEES THE EMPTY SPOT
WHERE HIS BOAT SHOULD ABIDE.
THE HARBORMASTER ISN'T SURE WHAT OCCURED,
BUT HE'LL SEND OUT A CREW, JUST SAY THE WORD,
THOUGH THE WIND IS STRONG AND THERE'S A SHIFTING TIDE
SO THERE'S NOT MUCH TIME LEFT TO DECIDE.

THE OWNER THINKS ABOUT THE DAY HE BOUGHT IT,
AND HOW HE THOUGHT THE PRICE WAS MUCH TOO HIGH,
BUT THE SELLER SAID IT WAS ONE OF A KIND.
AT FIRST HE LIKED THE ATTENTION.
HAVING A SPECIAL VESSEL MADE HIM SPECIAL, TOO,
UNTIL HE SAW HIS PRIDE HAD MADE HIM BLIND.

IT'S HULL WAS TOO SLIGHT AND  PRONE TO ROT,
IT PULLED TO THE RIGHT AND LEAKED IN ONE SPOT,
AS IF IT'S MAKER HAD MADE IT WITH NOT A USE IN MIND.
SO AS THE OTHERS DOCKED WITH THEIR NETS FULL OF FISH,
EMPTY HANDED, HE ROCKED IN HIS UNFULFILLED WISH.

AND NOW THE OWNER WONDERS WHAT HE’LL DO.
THE WIND IS STRONGER NOW AND THE CURRENT, TOO.

IT'S A TASK HE DOES NOT FEEL LIKE BRAVING,
SAYING, “THIS ONE’S NOT WORTH SAVING.
LOVE’S A REWARD FOR BEHAVING.
LET IT GO, SO THE OTHERS WILL KNOW.”
AND WITH THE OLD ONE NOW NO MORE THAN A SPECK AGAINST THE SKY,
HE LEAVES TO FIND ANOTHER BOAT TO BUY.

AN UNTIED BOAT DRIFTS OUT AND OUT,
NO PIER IN SIGHT FOR REST.
WILL IT FIND ANOTHER SHORE?
OR BE SWALLOWED BY THE SEA?
OR BOB AND WEAVE FOR ALL ETERNITY?

IF YOU'VE EVER KNOWN AN UNTIED BOAT,
YOU MAY HAVE ALREADY GUESSED.
AND IF MY STORY MAKE NO SENSE TO YOU,
IT'S PROBABLY FOR THE BEST.

IF MY STORY MAKE NO SENSE TO YOU,
IT'S PROBABLY FOR THE BEST.

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