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Bamboo Horse: Ascending the Desolate Watchtower
English Poetic Translation
I climb the desolate ramparts of the lonely fort,
Where a solitary pavilion overlooks the boundless waste,
And I gaze in silence upon the mist-veiled islets.
A double rainbow hangs across the sudden rain,
While a fierce autumn wind brushes the balustrade,
Subduing at last the stifling summer heat.
Slowly I mark how a single leaf startles the fading year,
And dying cicadas clamor in the evening light,
As the season of White Autumn takes its sway.
Surveying the view, I yearn for vanished joys,
And point toward the distant imperial capital,
Lost deep within non-misty, non-smoke-dimmed haze.
Facing all this, retrospective sorrow gathers fast;
New griefs easily pile high, while old friends never meet.
Leaning high against the wind all day in fixed dismay,
I win only a silent, soul-consuming desolation.
Straining my eyes across drifting wisps of clearing vapor,
Amid scattered crows and the desolate river city's dusk,
The painted horn sounds from the southern watchtower,
Once more escorting the lingering sun away.
Where a solitary pavilion overlooks the boundless waste,
And I gaze in silence upon the mist-veiled islets.
A double rainbow hangs across the sudden rain,
While a fierce autumn wind brushes the balustrade,
Subduing at last the stifling summer heat.
Slowly I mark how a single leaf startles the fading year,
And dying cicadas clamor in the evening light,
As the season of White Autumn takes its sway.
Surveying the view, I yearn for vanished joys,
And point toward the distant imperial capital,
Lost deep within non-misty, non-smoke-dimmed haze.
Facing all this, retrospective sorrow gathers fast;
New griefs easily pile high, while old friends never meet.
Leaning high against the wind all day in fixed dismay,
I win only a silent, soul-consuming desolation.
Straining my eyes across drifting wisps of clearing vapor,
Amid scattered crows and the desolate river city's dusk,
The painted horn sounds from the southern watchtower,
Once more escorting the lingering sun away.
Classical Chinese & Pinyin
登孤壘荒涼，危亭曠望，靜臨煙渚。
對雌霓掛雨，雄風拂檻，微收煩暑。
漸覺一葉驚秋，殘蟬噪晚，素商時序。
覽景想前歡，指神京，非霧非煙深處。
向此成追感，新愁易積，故人難聚。
憑高盡日凝佇。
贏得消魂無語。
極目霽靄霏微，暝鴉零亂，蕭索江城暮。
南樓畫角，又送殘陽去。
對雌霓掛雨，雄風拂檻，微收煩暑。
漸覺一葉驚秋，殘蟬噪晚，素商時序。
覽景想前歡，指神京，非霧非煙深處。
向此成追感，新愁易積，故人難聚。
憑高盡日凝佇。
贏得消魂無語。
極目霽靄霏微，暝鴉零亂，蕭索江城暮。
南樓畫角，又送殘陽去。
Philological Direct Translation
Ascending desolate lonely ramparts,
precarious pavilion broad viewing,
quietly facing misty islets.
Facing female rainbow hanging rain,
male wind brushing railing,
slightly gathering vexing heat.
Gradually perceiving one leaf startling autumn,
expiring cicadas clamoring evening,
white Shang seasonal sequence.
Observing scenery recalling former joy,
pointing toward divine capital,
non-mist non-smoke deep place.
Toward this forming retrospective sorrow,
new griefs easily accumulating,
old friends difficult to gather.
Leaning high all day gazing fixedly,
winning soul-dissolving without words.
Extending eyes clearing mist drifting lightly,
muted crows scattered, desolate river city dusk.
Southern tower painted horn,
yet sending remaining sun away.
precarious pavilion broad viewing,
quietly facing misty islets.
Facing female rainbow hanging rain,
male wind brushing railing,
slightly gathering vexing heat.
Gradually perceiving one leaf startling autumn,
expiring cicadas clamoring evening,
white Shang seasonal sequence.
Observing scenery recalling former joy,
pointing toward divine capital,
non-mist non-smoke deep place.
Toward this forming retrospective sorrow,
new griefs easily accumulating,
old friends difficult to gather.
Leaning high all day gazing fixedly,
winning soul-dissolving without words.
Extending eyes clearing mist drifting lightly,
muted crows scattered, desolate river city dusk.
Southern tower painted horn,
yet sending remaining sun away.