Blaming Sons

Today TEPCO finally admitted that the situation at Fukushima is at the level of a Chernobyl. Well, many of us had already figured that for ourselves. What TEPCO must really be saying is: It is worse than Chernobyl.

Here's another delightful Chinese poem. The poet finds an excuse for his own drunkenness.

Blaming Sons

White hairs cover my temples,

I am wrinkled and gnarled beyond repair,

And though I have got five sons,

They all hate paper and brush.

A-shu is eighteen:

For laziness there is none like him.

A-hsüan does his best,

But really loathes the fine arts.

Yung and Tuan are thirteen,

But do not know six from seven.

T'ung-tzu in his ninth year

Is only concerned with things to eat.

If heaven treats me like this,

What can I do but fill my cup?

______

T'ao Ch'ien (372-427) trans: A Waley