Return to Nature V
- Poetry of Tao Yuanming
Melancholy, I come back, staff in hand,
Going alone the rugged bushy way.
In mountain crooks shallow and clear I stand
And wash my feet where a moment I stay.
At home I strain my newly-ripened wine,
Cook a chicken and with neighbors share it.
My room turns dark when there's no more sunshine,
Branches are burned instead of candle lit.
So joyful we're that we find short the night;
Soon in the east we see the first sunlight.
Composed around 405 CE, this fifth and concluding poem of Tao Yuanming's "Returning to Dwell in Gardens and Fields" series captures the most unassuming day in pastoral life. From returning from labor to sharing drinks with neighbors, every mundane moment becomes poetic. The work not only portrays the authentic reality of reclusive living but also expresses the poet's profound appreciation for this serene simplicity, culminating in a transcendent perspective that elevates the entire series.
怅恨独策还，崎岖历榛曲。
山涧清且浅，可以濯吾足。
漉我新熟酒，只鸡招近局。
日入室中暗，荆薪代明烛。
欢来苦夕短，已复至天旭。
- 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.