Memorial to a Louse

Blipfoto won't let me write the characters but they translate as

Very quietly I take my leave,
As quietly as I arrived;
Gently I flick my sleeves,
Not even a wisp of cloud will I bring away.

These lines are the last verse of of Xu Zhimo 's Saying Goodbye to Cambridge, one of the most famous poems in modern China, and probably one of the main reasons for modern China's love-affair with Cambridge.

Nowadays the lines are carved on a stone by the Cam, where it flows through Kings College. Kings being where Xu studied - a friend of E.M. Forster, and a spoiled and unpleasant brat to boot.

Very wistful and sensitive this poem is. It completely fails to mention that when the poet decided to leave Cambridge, he also decided to abandon his poor, young, uncomplaining non-English speaking wife, without a word of warning, explanation or apology (or indeed any money).

Xu may be acclaimed in China. I think he's nothing but a dirty louse!