没蕃故人
张籍
前年伐月支， 城下没全师。
蕃汉断消息， 死生长别离。
无人收废帐， 归马识残旗。
欲祭疑君在， 天涯哭此时。
thinking of a friend lost in the tibetan war
zhang ji
last year you went with your troops to tibet;
and when your men had vanished beyond the citywall,
news was cut off between the two worlds
as between the living and the dead.
no one has come upon a faithful horse guarding
a crumpled tent or torn flag, or any trace of you.
if only i knew, i might serve you in the temple,
instead of these tears toward the far sky.