Charmaine Yew Qian Le U1630797G

The sky lit up with the glow of the moon
Preparations have begun as early as noon.
A harvest banquet held after the monsoon,
The princess was expected to show her face soon

The palace was full of treasures within
With gifts from the foreign from places they’ve been
Yet, of all the jewels and riches I’ve seen
The golden peach kept me curious and keen

The common peach was smaller and pink
But these arrived from Samarkand, I think.
Brewed with saffron and made into a drink,
You often heard “cheers”, followed by a clink.

The liquid that flowed was amber and gold
Its fragrance so sweet, so pungent, so bold.
The aroma in my lungs, I’ll forever hold.
A secret I’ll keep; it’ll never be told.

I carefully filled the Princess’ cup
A task I cannot afford to mess up
Any saliva was hastily gulped
This royal meal, I could never disrupt

Alas, she’s princess and I am a maid.
The duties she carries are far too great.
A few more years, my freedom awaits.
I guess this is simply what you would call fate.

Huan Bi, Chang’an 680 AD

(Written after the Mid-autumn festival banquet in the Daming Palace (Tang Dynasty) where the moon and good harvest was celebrated.)