She's like flowers
- Poetry of Ouyang Xiu
She's like flowers,
she's like willows.
What a green spring it is,
but we have to part.
Don't say a word,let's weep silently.
At east of river,
at west of river,
the butterflies fly in the sky,
but i just can't find you.
Without a word,yearn for you desperately.
This lyrical short verse, composed by Northern Song luminary Ouyang Xiu during his politically tumultuous middle age, embodies the wanyue (婉约) style's emotional authenticity. Written amidst repeated demotions that left him physically and spiritually exhausted, the compact poem channels profound melancholy—perhaps reflecting official displacement or personal heartache. Blending folk-song directness with scholarly refinement, it stands as a masterclass in Song lyricism's poignant subtlety.
花似伊，柳似伊。
花柳青春人别离。
低头双泪垂。
长江东，长江西。
两岸鸳鸯两处飞。
相逢知几时。
- 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.
- Sobering from Drunkenness in Spring Day
- Lodging with the Master of the Clear Stream
- An Impromptu Verse After Being Drunk on Tongguan Mountain
- Song of a Southern Maiden: Winter
- Staying Overnight with a Friend
- The Sick Horse
- A Painted Hawk
- A Quatrain I
- A Quatrain II
- Leaving Home Again