The Winding River II
- Poetry of Du Fu
Back from the court from day to day, I pawn spring gown
To get drunk by the riverside where I go down.
In every wine shop I have a debt to pay;
It's rare to live to seventy since olden day.
Deeper and deeper amid flowers go butterflies;
Slowly and slowly on water skim dragonflies.
I will enjoy the present with those on the wing.
Do not let pass away any delightful thing!
This poem was composed in the spring of 758 CE, during the first year of Emperor Suzong's Qianyuan reign, while Du Fu served as a Reminder. Although Chang'an had been recovered, the An Lushan Rebellion was not yet quelled, court politics were complex, and Du Fu had angered the emperor by submitting a memorial defending Fang Guan. Though not dismissed, he was marginalized, and his political ideals teetered on the brink of collapse. The poem expresses not ordinary seasonal melancholy or personal dejection, but the complex state of mind of a statesman deeply concerned for the empire. After his ideals were thwarted, he sought consolation and release in personal indulgence and the beauty of nature. It stands as another profound embodiment of his poetic style, known for its deep poignancy and a tightly controlled, halting rhythm.
朝回日日典春衣，每日江头尽醉归。
酒债寻常行处有，人生七十古来稀。
穿花蛱蝶深深见，点水蜻蜓款款飞。
传语风光共流转，暂时相赏莫相违。
- 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.