Du Xunhe 杜荀鶴

later 9th century

When small, its prickly head was buried deep in the grass. Now, little by little, it shows above the weeds. People do not know a tree that will touch the clouds. They wait until it touches the clouds to call it tall.

自小刺頭深草裏，而今漸覺出蓬蒿。 時人不識凌雲木，直待凌雲始道高。

"The Little Pine," in the Complete Tang Poems

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late 9th century

Go to the deepest place of the deep mountains: even there, there is no way to escape the taxes and forced labour.

任是深山更深處，也應無計避征徭。

"The Widow in the Mountains"

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