Ode to the Spring’s Return
- Poetry of Liu Fangping
O southern path! Where spring winds gently blow at break of day,
The eastern neighbor gleams in dawn's first ray.
A lone flower blooms in Chu's ancient sphere,
Twin swallows dwell in Lu's mansion, far and near.
She rises, coils her hair like clouds above,
And steps into the broidered car, with love.
Who could have known the belle of yesterday,
Now washes silk by Yue's stream, in humble sway?
This poem by Tang Dynasty poet Liu Fangping captures the atmosphere of early spring. Liu, who achieved little success in his official career, often took natural scenery, seasonal changes, and the daily lives of women as his subjects, creating many vivid short poems. This piece is set during the New Year season, depicting a woman’s everyday activities to convey the fresh ambiance of spring's arrival and the delicate details of life in the women’s quarters.
南陌春风早，东邻曙色斜。
一花开楚国，双燕入卢家。
眠罢梳云髻，妆成上锦车。
谁知如昔日，更浣越溪纱。
- 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.