In the cold of the tavern lamplight, unslept, alone am I;
This heart of mine, in sojourn, turned sad, O why? I sigh.
Tonight, O I wish I were home, yet a thousand miles away;
Come tomorrow, my hair grayed, another year’s gone by!
Translated by Andrew W.F. Wong (Huang Hongfa)
旅馆寒灯独不眠，客心何事转凄然。
故乡今夜思千里，霜鬓明朝又一年。
Gao Shi, a renowned poet of the Tang Dynasty, was famous for his bold and vigorous frontier poetry. However, "Composing on New Year's Eve" departs from his usual heroic style, adopting a plain and natural tone to depict the loneliness and melancholy of New Year's Eve. As the poet stayed in a foreign land, he spent the night alone by the lamp, missing his family and reflecting on the relentless passage of time. The poem authentically portrays the sorrow and homesickness that travelers often feel during festive occasions.
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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