为了向英语世界人民介绍中国优秀的古典文化,艾黎充分发挥自己具有深厚中国文化修养的优势,将大量的中国古典诗歌翻译成英文,在英语世界传播。在学习中国文化,研究中国历史的过程中,艾黎了解了杜甫,他对中国历史上这位伟大的诗人推崇备至。杜甫的诗歌与精神也对艾黎产生了非常大的影响。

戍鼓断人行，边秋一雁声。

露从今夜白，月是故乡明。

有弟皆分散，无家问死生。

寄书长不达，况乃未收兵。

THINKING OF MY BROTHERS ON A MOONLIGHT NIGHT

Drums at the watch-towers beat,

And roads below clear of people;

I think of the frontier as I

Hear the wild geese's autumn cry;

Dew changes to frost, but I feel

Moonlight is not as bright as it was

Back in my old home; now my brothers

Are scattered, and there is no way

For me to know if they are alive

Or dead, for letters cannot come

And the war that keeps us apart

Seems unending.