This is a religious poem, or so I
believe because it was published in translation,
the translation done by Ezra Pound's daughter,
in a Catholic poetry magazine.
It does me good, to bow my body to the ground
when the emperor passes.
I am one of the gardeners at the palace,
but I have never seen his face.
When he walks in the garden, he is
preceded by boys who ring little bells,
and I bow myself down when I hear the bells approaching.
Though they say that the emperor is very kind, and not easily
offended, he might smile at me, if I looked up,
or even speak to me.
But I believe that the Emperor rules by my humility.
It is my humility that rules."