Drunken at night in Southern town,
I sail on vernal stream at dawn.
Fallen petals bid me adieu,
Swallows’ songs retain me anew.
A talent exiled long ago,
A good hand banished in woe.
What good to win a wide-spread fame?
Looking back, nothing’s left to blame.
夜醉长沙酒，晓行湘水春。
岸花飞送客，樯燕语留人。
贾傅才未有，褚公书绝伦。
名高前后事，回首一伤神。
The poem is a masterpiece of Du Fu’s later years, with its expressive techniques, such as using objects to convey meaning, or using allusions to express emotions, or expressing his feelings directly.
Classical Chinese poetry thrives on Concision and Ambiguity. Without tense or number, the words create a timeless space where the reader becomes the co-creator of the poem's meaning.
Look for Contrasts: light and shadow, movement and stillness. Don't just translate the words; feel the Yijing (artistic conception) that lingers long after the last character.
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