I urge you to get very drunk tonight

"Host:

I urge you to get very drunk tonight;

Don't talk of tomorrow in front of the wine jar

Guest:

I greatly appreciate your sentiment;

The wine is deep, but my feelings are even deeper!

Host:

Only grieve that the spring night is so short;

And don't complain that your cup is full!

When there is wine we can laugh

How long does human life last?"

Verse #4 from

Lyrics for "Deva-like Barbarian"

by Wei Chung (836-910)

From "Sunflower Splendor

Three Thousand Years of Chinese Poetry

Co-edited by

Wu-chi and Irving Yucheng Lo

copyright 1975

Anchor Books

Anchor Press/Doubleday

Garden City, New York