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233
碛 西 头 送 李 判 官 入 京
In the Western Desert: Sending Off Administrative
Assistant Li on His Return to the Capital
一 身 从 远 使
万 里 向 安 西
汉 月 垂 乡 泪
胡 沙 费 马 蹄
寻 河 愁 地 尽
过 碛 觉 天 低
送 子 军 中 饮
33
家 书 醉 里 题
I took up a far off official post
Ten thousand li away in Anxi.
The Han moon, homesick tears droop;
Hu sands wear down the horses' hooves.
Searching for the river's source, 32 full of sorrow at the limit
of this land;
Passing through the desert I feel the sky hanging low.
Sending you off with drinks in the army camp,
In drunkenness I compose a letter home.
32 The CSJJZ notes on p. 84 that this scouting conveys a feeling of western geographic extremity.
33 CSJJZ, p. 83.