1007 Slipping away,The one I love—As I am broken. What’s the flowerThat bloomed in whiteWhen we were one? うちわたすをち方人に物まうすわれそのそこにしろくさけるはなにの花ぞも UchiwatasuOchikatabito niMono mousu wareSono soko niShiroku sakeru waNani no hana zo mo Author unknown. As the poet’s lover has not visited recently, the poet complains and …
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For Mother Wen Tianxiang (1236-1283) This noble wife and mother’s time has comeTo rise for heaven in the gods’ embrace;Her grave forever near the hare and fox,With tears that feel like hail upon my face. Chinese 母第一百四十一文天祥 何時太夫人上天回哀眷墓久狐兔鄰嗚呼淚如霰 Pronunciation Mǔ Dì Yī Bǎi Sì Shí YīWén Tiānxiáng Hé shí tài …
Read MoreFarewell to Mystic Mountain
Farewell to Mystic Mountain Huangfu Ran (~ 716-769) All day the water flows until it fades, unseen,At dusk, when grass grows deep in spring and earth recedes—At times, it’s true, the dogs will bark and chickens squawk,But who would pull an almond nut from berry seeds? …
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Before the Duke of Zhou Yu Xin (513-581) One dawn I had a home; today it’s gone,An orchid rooted out and set to burn.As one would tell a tale of long lost friendsI live my life to watch the world turn. Chinese 集周公處連句詩庾信 市朝一朝變蘭艾本同焚故人相借問平生如所聞 Pronunciation Jí Zhōu Gōng Chǔ …
Read MoreFresh Wood (for Luo Xue)
Fresh Wood (for Luo Xue) Wen Tianxiang (1236-1283) A sigh, sigh sound from woods up high to low;We close the gate and cover up with fur—Spring feelings flow along the mountain gorge;At dawn I rise to touch and look at her. Chinese 贈羅雪崖樵青文天祥 蕭蕭山下人閉門衣裘單春心動溪谷曉起捫松看 Pronunciation Zèng Luó Xuě Yá …
Read MoreA Nighttime Gaze
A Nighttime Gaze Bai Juyi (772-846) The river wraps around the town’s cold edge,Its sandbanks still with sitting birds of dusk—Alone on top this building perched up high,I gaze southwest, where mountains drop to dust. Chinese 晚望白居易 江城寒角動沙洲夕鳥還獨在高亭上西南望遠山 Pronunciation Wǎn WàngBái Jūyì Jiāng chéng hán jiǎo dòngShā zhōu xī niǎo …
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Springtime Sun Yin Qiqi (~800) In times of doubt I sing to spring’s fresh sunAnd free the knots tied up within my gut—Your young man’s left his home and not come backBut winter’s snow will wash the willow’s smut. Chinese 陽春曲殷七七 愁見唱陽春令人離腸結郎去未歸家柳自飄香雪 Pronunciation Yáng Chūn QūYīn Qīqī Chóu jiàn chàng …
Read MoreAs Fall Begins, I Look Within
As Fall Begins, I Look Within Li Yi (746-829) Ten thousand fears have come to fix my life,As on this mirrored shore I gaze uneased—Here all I see has turned my temples whiteAnd now it’s time to face the autumn breeze. Chinese 立秋前一日覽鏡李益 萬事銷身外生涯在鏡中唯將滿鬢雪明日對秋風 Pronunciation Lì Qiū Qián Yī …
Read MoreSeeing Off Guo Liangfu As He Journeys East
Seeing Off Guo Liangfu As He Journeys East Li Duan (743-782?) I’d offer you advice but nothing comes,Your carriage quickly heads back east to Qin;These twilight years you drive a thousand miles—As sun sets on ten thousand homes in spring. Chinese 送郭良輔下第東歸李端 獻策不得意馳車東出秦暮年千裏客落日萬家春 Pronunciation Sòng Guō Liángfǔ Xià Dì …
Read MoreSeeing Off My Elder Brother
Seeing Off My Elder Brother Lu Zhaolin (634-684/686) You’ll travel home through frontier mountain roadsTo see the blooms and willows of Chang’än;But now it’s time we part our hands goodbye,To gaze in silent sorrow, and journey on. Chinese 送二兄人蜀盧照鄰 關山客子路花柳帝王城此中一分手柑顧憐無聲 Pronunciation Sòng Èr Xiōng Rén ShǔLú Zhàolín Guān shān kè …
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