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Ts’ao Pin (1170–1249) was from Wenchou in Chekiang and served in a number of posts, including judicial commissioner of his home province, rectifier of omissions, and member of the Hanlin Academy. Apparently he, too, suffered the loss of imperial favor. While the poet sighs at the transience of spring, he also voices a complaint about the replacement of the melodious orioles at court with the croaking of lesser talents.

Late Spring

TS’AO PIN

No one comes out to look at fallen flowers

a canopy of green slowly veils the sky

the orioles in the trees have finally stopped singing

I only hear frogs in the grass-filled pond