祖咏： 望蓟门

祖咏: 望蓟门/ zu yong: looking toward an inner gate of the great wall
望蓟门
祖咏
燕台一去客心惊， 箫鼓喧喧汉将营。
万里寒光生积雪， 三边曙色动危旌。
沙场烽火侵胡月， 海畔云山拥蓟城。
少小虽非投笔吏， 论功还欲请长缨。
looking toward an inner gate of the great wall
zu yong
my heart sank when i headed north from yan country
to the camps of china echoing ith bugle and drum.
...in an endless cold light of massive snow,
tall flags on three borders rise up like a dawn.
war-torches invade the barbarian moonlight,

mountain-clouds like chairmen bear the great wall from the sea.
...though no youthful clerk meant to be a great general,
i throw aside my writing-brush --
like the student who tossed off cap for a lariat,
i challenge what may come.