An Ancient Chinese Poem:On Feng Huang Tai (Translation)

The phoenix pavilion was the place
     Where the phoenix used to play.
Since the phoenix was gone,
     The pavilion had no more phoenix to stay,
     Yet, the long river still quietly sway.

Here, the garden of the Wu Palace  
     Covered in the weeds that heavily grow.        
There, celebrities of the Jin Kingdom3
     Buried in a series of grave lumps.

Three peaks of the clustered mountain
     Protruding into the sky,  
Underneath, a piece of white-sand beach,
     The river flow is divided.

Dark Clouds always blocking the bright Sun
Unable to view Chang』an,
I have to lament!

                                                                                         
(Translation by B. W.)
E. College, SDSU, 1990