Song of Willow Branch
- Poetry of Bai Juyi
A tree of million branches sways in breeze of spring,
More tender, more soft than golden silk string by string.
But in west corner of a garden in decay,
Who would come to admire its beauty all the day?
This poem was written during the late Tang dynasty, a time when factional struggles were intense, and many talented individuals were often sidelined or forgotten. Although Bai Juyi had once been an official in the imperial court, political rivalries prevented him from gaining the recognition he deserved in his career. In this poem, the poet uses the image of a weeping willow to metaphorically express his feelings about his own circumstances and the frustration of seeing talent go unrecognized in society. In reality, it serves as a critique of the talent selection system and the government officials of the time.
一树春风千万枝，嫩于金色软于丝。
永丰西角荒园里，尽日无人属阿谁？
- 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.