Leave Me Not
- Poetry of Meng Jiao

English Translation

I hold your robe lest you should go.

"Where are you going, dear, today?

Your late return brings me less woe

Than your heart being stolen away."

This poem portrays a woman's emotional turmoil and reluctance as she bids farewell to her lover, revealing her deep attachment to love and her inner anxieties.

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中文原文( Chinese )

欲别牵郎衣，郎今到何处？

不恨归来迟，莫向临邛去。

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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