How to Read Chinese Poetry A Guided Anthology

(Amelia) #1

c i P oe t ry : long s ong ly riC s on ob j eC t s 297
From a high pavilion I gaze into the distance
34 At the color of grass at heaven’s edge
And sigh that coarse white ramie has half overtaken my locks.
36 Silently I mull over the traces—tears of parting, playful spit18—
Still staining your silk handkerchief;
38 The phoenix, wings drooping, has lost its way,
The simurgh no longer dances on the broken mirror.
40 Fervently I want to inscribe
My everlasting sorrow in a letter,
42 But passing wild geese sink into blue mists over far seas.
In vain I play my love longing into the mournful zither’s strings;
44 Grieving from a thousand li away in the southland,
With the bitter melody I summon you again,
46 Is your sundered soul still there?
[WMCCJS, 191–193]19


鶯啼序
(yīng tí xù)


lingering chill just now plague sick with wine 殘寒正欺病酒
(cán hán zhèng qī bìng jiŭ)
close aloewood — wrought door 掩沉香繡戶 ▲
(yăn chén xiāng xiù hù)
swallow come late fly into west city 燕來晚、飛入西城
(yàn lái wăn feī rù xī chéng)
as if tell spring matter late evening 似說春事遲暮 ▲
(sì shuō chūn shì chí mù)
painted boat carry Qing Ming passed over 畫船載、清明過卻
(huà chuán zài qīng míng guò què)
clear mist luxuriant supple Wu Palace tree 晴煙冉冉吳宮樹 ▲
(qíng yān răn răn wú gōng shù)
reflect traveler feeling drift sway 念羈情游蕩
(niàn jī qíng yóu dàng)
follow wind change into light catkin 隨風化為輕絮 ▲
(suí fēng huà wéi qīng xù)


ten year West Lake 十載西湖
(shí zăi xī hú)
beside willow tie horse 傍柳繫馬^
(bàng liŭ xì mă)
chase charming dust supple mist 趁嬌塵軟霧^ ▲^
(chèn jiāo chén ruăn wù)
follow up red gradually summon into Fairy Creek 溯紅漸、招入仙溪^
(sù hóng jiàn zhāo rù xiān xī)

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