Song of a Southern Maiden: Winter
- Poetry of Li Bai (Li Po)
Tomorrow morning the messenger will go;
I work all night to make a cotton gown.
My fingers feel so cold to pull the needle;
How can I hold the scissors to cut the cloth out?
I’ve made the gown and sent it to you far away;
How many days will it arrive at the fort?
This poem is the "Winter Song" from Li Bai's "Song of a Southern Maiden" series, inheriting the tradition of Southern Dynasties folk ballads while infusing deeper national concern and refined poetic artistry. It captures a dramatic life moment—a longing wife rushing to make winter clothes through a cold night—using meticulous details to connect personal affection with the era's wartime backdrop, showcasing Li Bai's exceptional ability to "reveal grandeur through subtlety."
明朝驿使发，一夜絮征袍。
素手抽针冷，那堪把剪刀。
裁缝寄远道，几日到临洮。
- 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.