'Conversation among the mountains' by Li Po

You ask me why I dwell

among these jade green hills.

I smile but answer not. My heart is serene.

A peach blossom

sails past in the current of the water!

There are worlds beyond the world of men.

~

Li Po (aka Li Bai) (701-762)

A Chinese poet of the Tang Dynasty, Li Po wrote occasional verse and poems about his own life. His poetry is known for its clear imagery and conversational tone. His work influenced a number of 20th-century poets, including Ezra Pound and James Wright.

'The Bamboo Grove', by Wang Wei

Sitting alone in a remote bamboo grove.
Plucking my lute again and crooning.
Deep in the forest no one is aware.
The bright moon arrives and we shine on each other.
 

Wang Wei (699-759)

(Wang Wei is considered to be one of the three great Chinese poets of the Tang Dynasty period. He also was musician & painter. His poetry speaks of the Buddhist and Taoist ideals of retreat and life amidst nature.)