Be Drunk

    Translated by Louis Simpson

    You have to be always drunk. That's all there is to it——it's the

    only way. So as not to feel the horrible burden of time that breaks

    your back and bends you to the earth， you have to be continually

    drunk.

    But on what？  Wine， poetry or virtue¹， as you wish. But be

    drunk.

    And if sometimes， on the steps of a palace or the green grass of

    a ditch， in the mournful solitude² of your room， you wake again，

    drunkenness already diminishing or gone， ask the wind， the wave，

    the star， the bird， the clock， everything that is flying， everything

    that is groaning³， everything that is rolling， everything that is

    singing， everything that is speaking. . .ask what time it is and

    wind， wave， star， bird， clock will answer you：  "It is time to be

    drunk！ So as not to be the martyred slaves of time， be drunk， be

    continually drunk！ On wine， on poetry or on virtue as you wish."