Her man the war took. She abides
In a roof of reed. Hemp‑cloth her wear;
Her hair is thistledown the wind dries.
The mulberry‑trees are gone. The tax
Stands. Fields are waste. The levy
Of grain grows. She grubs herbs, with the root‑sax;
She breaks green wood, leaf‑smoke to heavy.
Go deeper in. Still deeper. None
Goes deep enough to miss the tally‑man
Or the conscripting‑lot. It is not done.
夫因兵死守蓬茅，麻苎衣衫鬓发焦。
桑柘废来犹纳税，田园荒后尚征苗。
时挑野菜和根煮，旋斫生柴带叶烧。
任是深山更深处，也应无计避征徭。
This poem was composed by the late Tang poet Du Xunhe. Born into humble circumstances, Du repeatedly failed the imperial examinations in his youth, finally passing the jinshi at the age of forty-six. However, his official career remained troubled due to the turbulent times, and he ultimately never gained significant recognition. He spent most of his life in hardship and poverty, living long among the lowest social strata, which gave him a profound understanding of the people's suffering. It was precisely this background and experience that made him a representative figure of realist poetry in the late Tang, inheriting Du Fu's tradition of "poetic history" by turning his lens onto the common people and recording the most authentic hardships of his era.
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