*

Family, How are you?
Like iron mountains, we
are both fine here. Though,
a person deceased. Only
recently, we were those
brothers separated, but
now we are buried together,
again in South directions.
Father, please see this ask
delivered: Mother, look
ferocious over other persons. 
For cheap silk can make
you blank and unlined as
little I who writes “Where
is this?” over those persons’
stone-






















       , we, following years
were separated by ordinary
clouds and rivers. At the river-
bank, in her small mirror,  
I long for Mother. How we
revered last month of summer,
as if I still serve her shape
of facing Outside…since I
have not yet borne sons, worry
my autumn might crimson
brocade. As the river is the
river, the season is now.
Take each emerald for your
self, buried daugh ter. Another
humble wish of mine, that you
might grass ? without
descents





















Because final Song emperor
was flung in overboard positon,
we are stationed in Taishan,
together in forest south, to
attack rebel cities. Have you
heard from our tall and stately
catalpa…Is it settled? We ran
out of ancestor’s morality,
money, tinted silk. So grand
father, once ranked district
magistrate, cannot give answer
to what status perpetuates; only
literary composition delights
him. While I am a way, Please,
convey us often, and moreover






















Governess…Since leaving
hometown, General Li ate
uncertain pig liver with
enthusiasm, got sick between
3–5am, and unfortunately
died. He went fast; the body
remains All Purity. I thought
about sending a smooth piece
of him to you, but conferred
with today’s moon, who agrees
our amulet lane will fall
any day. So I do not dare do
more than respectfully write
this description. It is not
near or sufficient, but we do
kowtow on your behalf.






















    ther,
after the Yuan court riots,
our trip went South. Along
railroad to sea, sweltering
season means palm tree
abundance. Don’t worry,
even without family love, we
eat your jewelry regularly.
Sleep pleasant knowing
three sons survived: one
elegant, one pervading or
fast. (Youngest died without
auspicious nickname.) To
perpetuate our land, will you
give sister’s catalpa sun
light? I dream of being buried
together, at the foot of her
plain violet, If I may reach…

PS: Who killed the empress?






















Remotest generation: I
prostrate myself offered up
to founding ancestor, Li
Lien. I have for more than
five years not built up
prestige, been transferred,
or even passed a national
peony. Tomb provisions
about the place lie 20 miles
north of nowhere, so I will
not greet 1272 generation, or
write you often. Which makes
me feel very preserved cow.





















Wife, It is Ming-yu. Often,
I receive your wish by cloud,
and know you are bestowing
me a bolt of Northern sky.
Forgive the paucity of my
hometown remembering. As
city guard commander, I
cannot give or feel wind.
But since first Ming emperor
acquired sovereignty, I no
longer will soldier sick. At
last, have small hope for
teaching assistant position,
to change 1337 intercalary
year as we.







Note

---

 
Italicized phrases in the poems are drawn from Chinese Autobiographical Writing: An Anthology of Personal Accounts, translated by Patricia Buckley Ebrey, Cong Ellen Zhang, and Ping Yao (University of Washington Press, 2023). I use language from our earliest records of Chinese autobiographical writing, all of which grapple with the enduring grief of separation, to fill in the story of mass migration from North to South at the end of the Southern Song dynasty. During this time, thousands of families, including my own, were estranged by war as the Mongols established China’s first foreign imperial dynasty. Roman type throughout is transcribed directly from my father’s genealogy records.