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Crossing the River Clouds: Meditations on a Lost Past
English Poetic Translation
Empty hills swallow the sky into the sea;
leaning from the tower's height, my gaze stretches far,
as fierce winds rise and the evening tide begins.
Beyond the rain-drenched blind, the turtledoves call;
in quiet, scattered fields across the water,
spring hoes turn the earth.
By now, the smoke of the Cold Food Festival
and the newly leafed willows must have turned
the West Lake into a sea of green.
I still recall those secluded years of the past,
when our courtyard gate was sheltered
by two or three ancient trees.
Such sorrow is mine.
A desolate islet and an ancient ferry landing,
broken stems and sparse duckweed—
to what further shores must I drift?
In vain I notice my robes growing looser,
my belt hanging slack, my shadow trembling
in the lonely lamplight.
I constantly imagine seeing that peach-blossom face again,
yet why, of late, do I only smile at the silence
and the lack of letters?
Even if letters travel from afar,
why is there now nothing at all?
leaning from the tower's height, my gaze stretches far,
as fierce winds rise and the evening tide begins.
Beyond the rain-drenched blind, the turtledoves call;
in quiet, scattered fields across the water,
spring hoes turn the earth.
By now, the smoke of the Cold Food Festival
and the newly leafed willows must have turned
the West Lake into a sea of green.
I still recall those secluded years of the past,
when our courtyard gate was sheltered
by two or three ancient trees.
Such sorrow is mine.
A desolate islet and an ancient ferry landing,
broken stems and sparse duckweed—
to what further shores must I drift?
In vain I notice my robes growing looser,
my belt hanging slack, my shadow trembling
in the lonely lamplight.
I constantly imagine seeing that peach-blossom face again,
yet why, of late, do I only smile at the silence
and the lack of letters?
Even if letters travel from afar,
why is there now nothing at all?
Classical Chinese & Pinyin
山空天入海，倚樓望極，風急暮潮初。
一簾鳩外雨，幾處閒田，隔水動春鋤。
新菸禁柳，想如今、綠到西湖。
猶記得、當年深隱，門掩兩三株。
愁餘。
荒洲古漵，斷梗疏萍，更漂流何處。
空自覺、圍羞帶減，影怯燈孤。
常疑即見桃花面，甚近來、翻笑無書。
書縱遠，如何也都無。
一簾鳩外雨，幾處閒田，隔水動春鋤。
新菸禁柳，想如今、綠到西湖。
猶記得、當年深隱，門掩兩三株。
愁餘。
荒洲古漵，斷梗疏萍，更漂流何處。
空自覺、圍羞帶減，影怯燈孤。
常疑即見桃花面，甚近來、翻笑無書。
書縱遠，如何也都無。
Philological Direct Translation
Mountains empty sky enters sea, leaning on tower gazing utmost, winds fierce evening tide begins.
One curtain dove outside rain, several places idle fields, across water moving spring hoe.
New smoke forbidden willow, imagine now, green reaches West Lake.
Still remember, that year deeply secluded, gate masked two three trees.
Sorrow me.
Barren islet ancient ferry, broken stem sparse duckweed, further drifting what place.
Vainly self feel, skirt shames belt diminishes, shadow fears lamp solitary.
Constant suspect soon see peach blossom face, why recently, instead laughs without letter.
Letter although distant, how also all none.
One curtain dove outside rain, several places idle fields, across water moving spring hoe.
New smoke forbidden willow, imagine now, green reaches West Lake.
Still remember, that year deeply secluded, gate masked two three trees.
Sorrow me.
Barren islet ancient ferry, broken stem sparse duckweed, further drifting what place.
Vainly self feel, skirt shames belt diminishes, shadow fears lamp solitary.
Constant suspect soon see peach blossom face, why recently, instead laughs without letter.
Letter although distant, how also all none.