Early Spring
- Poetry of Lu Guimeng
The cold rain but adds to summer's humid air,
The mist, newborn, can't clothe spring's presence fair.
A few small twigs with blossoms barely awake,
Deeply grieve the flower-guardian in their sake.
This short spring poem was written in the late Tang Dynasty, an era marked by social instability and political darkness. Poets often sought solace in landscapes and pastoral themes, expressing emotions through subtle depictions of nature. Lu Guimeng, who experienced lifelong career disappointments, frequently roamed the rivers and lakes of Jiangnan, channeling his feelings into poetry inspired by natural scenes. This work captures the climate and scenery of early spring—hinting at vitality yet still gripped by cold—reflecting the poet’s inner melancholy.
雨冷唯添暑，烟初不著春。
数枝花颣小，愁杀扈芳人。
- 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.
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