The Last Look at the Peonies at Night
- Poetry of Bai Juyi
I'm saddened by the courtyard peonies brilliant red,
At dusk only two of them are left on their bed.
I am afraid they can't survive the morning blast,
By lantern light I take a look at the long, long last.
Bai Juyi is known for his delicate emotions and accessible language. His poetry not only depicts reality but also conveys his reflections on life. This poem, Regret for the Peony Flowers, is one of his later works, written during his retirement. At this point, the poet had already experienced the ups and downs of his career and had deep feelings about the impermanence of life. The peony, long a symbol of wealth and prosperity, is fading before the poet's eyes, triggering his sorrow. On the surface, the poem speaks of the sadness of flowers wilting, but it also embodies the poet's thoughts on the fleeting nature of life and the transience of beauty.
惆怅阶前红牡丹，晚来唯有两枝残。
明朝风起应吹尽，夜惜衰红把火看。
- Why Chinese poems is so special?
- The most distinctive features of Chinese poetry are: concision- many poems are only four lines, and few are much longer than eight; ambiguity- number, tense and parts of speech are often undetermined, creating particularly rich interpretative possibilities; and structure- most poems follow quite strict formal patterns which have beauty in themselves as well as highlighting meaningful contrasts.
- How to read a Chinese poem?
- Like an English poem, but more so. Everything is there for a reason, so try to find that reason. Think about all the possible connotations, and be aware of the different possibilities of number and tense. Look for contrasts: within lines, between the lines of each couplet and between successive couplets. Above all, don't worry about what the poet meant- find your meaning.