國殤 HYMN TO THE FALLEN
Jiu Ge
Translated by David Hawkes
操吳戈兮被犀甲， 車錯轂兮短兵接。
Grasping our great shields and wearing our hide armor
Wheel-hub to wheel-hub locked, we battle hand to hand.
旌蔽日兮敵若雲， 矢交墜兮士爭先。
Our banners darken the sky; the enemy teem like clouds:
Through the hail of arrows the warriors press forward.
凌餘陣兮躐餘行， 左驂殪兮右刃傷。
They dash on our lines; they trample our ranks down.
The left horse has fallen, the right one is wounded.
霾兩輪兮縶四馬， 援玉枹兮擊鳴鼓。
The wheels are embedded, the foursome entangled:
Seize the jade drumstick and beat the sounding drum!
天時懟兮威靈怒， 嚴殺盡兮棄原野。
The time is against us: the gods are angry.
Now all lie dead, left on the field of battle.
出不入兮往不反， 平原忽兮路超遠。
They went out never more to return:
Far, far away they lie, on the level plain,
帶長劍兮挾秦弓， 首身離兮心不懲。
Their long swords at their belts, clasping their Qin bows,
Head from body sundered: but their hearts could not be vanquished.
誠既勇兮又以武， 終剛強兮不可凌。
Both truly brave and also truly noble;
Strong to the last, they could not be dishonored.
身既死兮神以靈， 魂魄毅兮爲鬼雄。
Their bodies may have died, but their souls are living:
Heroes among the shades their valiant souls will be.
The translator David Hawkes said of the poem that it ‘is surely one of the most beautiful laments for fallen soldiers in any language.’
Every day I select a war poem, and respond to it, generally in poetic form. But perhaps not. Each poem grabs at something a little differently. Sometimes the themes blend together, sometimes they contradict. Many poets, were veterans themselves, others not. Their perspectives vary, and the poetry does in response. I’ll continue to do this as long as I keep finding poetry that explores novel or meaningful themes. You know, until the well runs dry.
Given
A man, goat, boy, tree, RPG, cows are big, a fifty cal is big
Herringbone positioned, wheels turned, observe and report
Silence torn by subsonic crack, bullet rips peaceful air and flesh
Overwhelming reply machine guns shred hillsides, dust
Armor faces front, back, a noggin cap, shrapnel adapted
Enemy ghosts, spotting gusts of wind at visions edge
Medics run, casualties call, brother’s gasp, bloody breath
Stop the bleeding, airway, breathing, we shared breakfast today
Sergeant’s cry havoc, direction, distance, destruction
Big brother’s rage, blood for blood, violence answered violently
Casualty evac, helicopter blades rhythmic thrumming
Dismount, battle damage assessment, report, return to base
Wipe down the turret, inventory his room, Chaplain’s offerings
No greater love…No one could take…What was not freely given…
Photo by Johann Siemens on Unsplash
