Lament for Spring II
- Poetry of Du Mu
Spring’s half is gone, the rest but borrowed light;
To drink with falling flowers is like wine of winter’s night.
I toast spring’s parting, sweep the blooms away —
Who can hold back the eastward stream and say “Stay!”
This poem was composed during a crucial period of transition in Du Mu's life and poetic career, roughly between the mid-to-late 840s and early 850s. By this time, the poet had served in various military-governor offices across the Jiangnan region and had returned to the imperial court, holding posts such as Investigating Censor and Left Rectifier of Omissions. Situated at the political heart of the Tang empire, he had developed a lucid, yet increasingly acute sense of futility regarding the dynasty's systemic decline and the inherent constraints of his own official career. During this stage, Du Mu's poetic style gradually shifted from the spirited confidence and lyrical elegance of his youth towards a more somber, resonant tone characterized by profound philosophical contemplation.
春半年已除，其馀强为有。
即此醉残花，便同尝腊酒。
怅望送春杯，殷勤扫花帚。
谁为驻东流，年年长在手。
- 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.