In the evening wind, bashful blossoms furrow their brows, but they do not
fall. Their colorful petals adorn the carpet of green grass. Su Dike and Bai
Dike join together like a swallow's tail. Laurel boats chase light gulls. My
treasured horse is enhanced by the background of lingering clouds. The willow
branches are like a thousand threads of green sorrow. Gradually, I approach a
paradise and lose myself in it. I begin to worry. Suddenly, through the space
among flowers, I see the slender waist of a girl facing away from me.
I want to speak to her, but I draw back like An Lü
who was disappointed when he visited Ji-kang only to find that he was not at
home, or like Liang Zhang who waited outdoors overnight for the opportunity to
pick up shoes for a master (for details, read http://www.lcwangpress.com/essays/marquis.html) I expect we will not meet again.
Now I realize that our eyes cause us to fall in love and I pine due to spring
sorrow. The affairs of tomorrow are as elusive as lonesome smoke. The sorrow
overwhelms me like a lake of wind and rain. The mountain darkens at dusk. Green
waves rise and fall without a trace.
1
Wen-ying Wu was a native of Si-ming City. Jun-te and Meng-chuang were his
other first names. In his late years, he called himself Jue-weng (awakened man).
During the Jing-ding Period (ca. 1260), he was a house guest of King Rong and
befriended Qian Wu. In The Collection of Poems of Seven Poets, Zai Ge
says, "Wen-ying Wu met Qian Wu and became his follower. Wen-ying loved to write
poetry during his late years. His poems are beautiful, deep, and powerful. His
choice of words are extraordinarily refined due to years of practice." At first
glance his poetry is full of pictures. Actually, it contains anima moving along
the lines. After careful study, one will find his poetry tasteful and
fascinating. We neither deem his language obscure nor consider his writing
loaded with fancy phrase. His poems and those of Bang-yan Zhou, Da-zu Shi, and
Kui Jiang are considered the main stream of poetry written during the Song
dynasty. The poems of the above four poets can be traced to the same origin.
They only vary in outward appearance. Like the poetry of Yu-xi-sheng, Wu's
literary grace is well organized, his personal charm flows and turns between the
lines, and his themes and passion endure.