La Belle Toilette. (Translation) . Poem by Michael Walker

See Poem Hunter/ Ezra Pound/
Pound translated this poem by the Chinese poet Mei Sheng. It is a good example of Pound's imagism, the repetition of the colours blue and white, the garden of willows, and the mistress' white face. A lovely scene to picture in your mind.
The lady was actually a whore in her earlier days, and now she is married to a rich drunkard, who goes out drinking too often, leaving her alone at home. Hers would not be a happy marriage.
A straightforward poem, with more depth and truth in the second stanza. It proves Pound's skill as a translator.
Note: 'toilet' here means 'a person washing, grooming themselves, and wearing the right clothes to look good'.