Short life
- Poetry of Yan Shu

《浣溪沙·一向年光有限身》

- Last updated: 2024-06-14 10:34:22

中文原文

一向年光有限身。

等闲离别易销魂。

酒筵歌席莫辞频。

满目山河空念远，落花风雨更伤春。

不如怜取眼前人。

English Translation

like the lavender,we only have the short life,

love or hatred,we just sink into the grief.

This parting feast,girl,toast to our dying love.

Hill and river,that's just too faraway,

fallen petals in the rain,do you know why i stay?

Past is past,girl,just sniff the rosemary which's near you.

By Yan Shu

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