Listen to this article时世行赠田妇
杜荀鹤[1]
夫因兵死[2]守蓬茅[3]，
麻苎[4]裙衫鬓发焦[5]。
桑柘[6]废来犹纳税，
田园荒尽尚征苗[7]。
时[8]挑[9]野菜和根煮，
旋[10]斫[11]生柴[12]带叶烧。
任[13]是深山更深处，
也应无计[14]避征徭[15]。
注释：
[1] 杜荀鹤：公元891年进士。这是一首描写农家穷苦的诗：住的是茅草棚屋，穿的是麻布衣服，丈夫战死，田园荒芜，吃的是野菜根，烧的是带叶柴，衣食不足，还要交税。农民不能忍受压迫剥削，所以起来造反，于是唐朝覆灭。这是一首短短的现实主义史诗。
[2] 因兵死：因战乱而死。
[3] 蓬茅：茅屋。
[4] 麻苎：一种植物，织麻衣的原料。
[5] 焦：枯焦。
[6] 桑柘：桑树和黄桑。
[7] 征苗：征收青苗税。
[8] 时：经常。
[9] 挑：挖。
[10] 旋：接着。
[11] 斫：砍。
[12] 生柴：未干燥枯死的树枝。
[13] 任：即使。
[14] 无计：没有办法。
[15] 征徭：赋税和劳役。
For a Widow in the Mountains
Du Xunhe
Her husband killed in war, she lives in a thatched hut,
Wearing coarse hempen clothes and a flaxen hair.
She should pay taxes though mulberries were all cut;
And though before harvest fields and gardens lie bare.
She has to eat wild herbs together with their root,
And burn as fuel leafy branches from the tree.
However deep she hides in mountains as a brute,
From oppressive taxes she can never be free.
