I'm getting old
- Poetry of Nalan Xingde

《蝶恋花》

- Last updated: 2024-03-24 15:35:59

中文原文

萧瑟兰成看老去。

为怕多情，不作怜花句。

阁泪倚花愁不语，暗香飘尽知何处。

重到旧时明月路。

袖口香寒，心比秋莲苦。

休说生生花里住，惜花人去花无主。

English Translation

I'm getting old,

fear that people say i'm affectionate,

so i stop writing the love poems.

Snuggle up to the tulips,tears shed,

where will those faded fragrance go?

Back to past road,

the fragrance remains in my sleeve,

my heart is more bitter than the coptis.

Please don't say we'll live in the flowers eternally,

when you left me,those flowers will fade in the wind.

By Nalan Xingde

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.

List of Chinese poets