The Owl

Preface: "Owl" is a work by the Duke of Zhou, written to save the realm from danger and chaos. At that time, King Cheng did not yet understand the Duke of Zhou's heartfelt efforts, so the Duke of Zhou composed this poem and sent it to King Cheng, naming it "Owl."

Owl, oh owl! You have already taken away my young, so do not destroy my nest. I have labored with great hardship, raising my children with such difficulty.

While the heavens have not yet sent down rain, I strip bark from the roots of mulberry trees and bind the doors and windows tightly. Now you people beneath the trees—who dares to bully me?

My claws are utterly exhausted; I have gathered the flowers of reeds and stored up dried grass. My mouth is so weary that I am completely ill, yet still I say my nest is not yet finished.

My feathers have become sparse and withered, my tail is also haggard and frayed, and my nest sways precariously. Tossed about by wind and rain, I can only cry out in terrified lament.

"Owl" has four stanzas, each stanza with five lines.