Nocturnal Reflections While Traveling (visiting Tu Fu)
A soft breeze strokes the grass onshore
The boat’s single mast stands tall in the night
Above the surrounding plains, shooting stars
The moon seems to rise from the mighty river
I wonder if my words are worth reading
Should the old and sick be restricted from writing
When they seem to flutter from place to place
Like a gull between earth and sky?
Literal translations of classic Chinese poetry can be found at chinese-poems.com. This is my interpretation of a poem by Tu Fu. The literal translation, as provided at chinese-poems.com, is as follows:
Nocturnal Reflections While Traveling
Gently grass soft wind shore
Tall mast alone night boat
Stars fall flat fields broad
Moon rises great river flows
Name not literary works mark
Official should old sick stop
Flutter flutter what place seem
Heaven earth one sand gull
Image source: The Cleveland Museum of Art
Today is Day 1 of National Poetry Writing Month/Global Poetry Writing Month (NaPoWriMo 2017).
rivrvlogr 
Your interpretation is lovely. The literal translation is just–hmmm. . .literal?
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At the website, a “translation” of the literal is provided. I do use that as a guide, but I will take it in a different direction at times.
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Intriguing. Different languages, different ways of thinking, of speaking abou the world. Thanks for this.
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This can be an interesting exercise.
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