「食笋」白居易

此州乃竹乡，春笋满山谷。山夫折盈抱，抱来早市鬻。

物以多为贱，双钱易一束。置之炊甑中，与饭同时熟。

紫箨坼故锦，素肌擘新玉。每日遂加餐，经时不思肉。

久为京洛客，此味常不足。且食勿踟蹰，南风吹作竹。

EATING BAMBOO-SHOOTS 

My new Province is a land of bamboo-groves: 

Their shoots in spring fill the valleys and hills. 

The mountain woodman cuts an armful of them 

And brings them down to sell at the early market. 

Things are cheap in proportion as they are common ; 

For two farthings, I buy a whole bundle. 

I put the shoots in a great earthen pot 

And heat them up along with boiling rice. 

The purple nodules broken, — like an old brocade; 

The white skin opened, — like new pearls. 

Now every day I eat them recklessly ; 

For a long time I have not touched meat. 

All the time I was living at Lo-yang 

They could not give me enough to suit my taste. 

Now I can have as many shoots as I please ; 

For each breath of the south-wind makes a new bamboo!