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Monday, April 15, 2019

Youthful Gaze - 青春望


  
The title is ambiguous.  This poem was inspired by a photo I took of Lam during our Grand Canyon section of the trip.


窅然危坐聽谷音
Relaxing in a dangerous pose, listening to the valley sounds,
赤壁青衣點蒼林
Red cliffs clothed in green forests touching the heavens.
景前靜觀萬劫宏
Viewing the grand majesty of the millennia changes before thee,
覺時刻黄昏沉
And not realizing that time is passing and twilight deepening.

妬忌各下休閑態
Envy abound in your carefree manners,
初日春光背影金
Even in the back shadow of youth a thousand piece gold of worth.
宴盡酒闋念歌還
When merriment is gone and wine no more, I yearn for songs to return,
芝麻人生懺而今
An insignificant life, now in remorse.

夜穹越黑星更明
Darker the night vault, the brighter stars be,
寒来一風刺骨針
But along comes a bone chilling wind...
銀河雖廣眼力退
Vast is the Milky Way but my eyesight, not as sharp of yore,
年華夢無斟
Fret not that dreams won't come pouring in for the young.

羨神仙慕鴛鴦
Jealous not of immortals but of lovers envy be,
寂寞淚滴滿胸襟
And lonely tears go drip drip, bosom soaked.
知老人痛
This sort of talk knows nary of aged pains,
豈問識舊路尋
"Why seek not of your old way back?", you naively asked.

On the surface, the first stanza describes the scenery but the undertones point to the elements of the theme.  Notice the color of the shirt is similar to the greenery of the distant forest and his white hat... Of floating clouds representing a crown of white hair. This underlying subtlety is about youth reaching for the sky and dreams and like the aeons of change as he courses through, the passage of time unfurling to different outcomes and regrets of youth.

The second stanza deals with the poet's projection onto of what he saw before him. It is not the majesty of the mountains that moved him but of the grandeur of youth before his aged eyes; yearning for the loss and to return to the golden moments. Unfortunately, trapped in the woe of the present.
The third and fourth stanzas deal with an imaginary dialogue between the poet and an imaginary youth -   perhaps of his former self; trying to console the older self but with each consoling, comes a few retorts until the exasperated youth cried out and asked sarcastically.  Youthful naivety of no understanding! A silent last shot from the older self.

表面上,首闋描寫景意,但暗示詩中主題.致細看看,相中青年的服色與遙遠的綠林相,白帽子如浮雲的豐滿蒼髮.其實詩人要的是在少年時,氣壯志高,夢想如在萬古變化的路程中,時光展開無定的結果與青春時的.

二闋投射詩人所見的一切,在其衰弱眼視前,非山脈的威嚴,只是青春的豪華雄壯,慾望能回當年黄金,但困在今時之哀.

最後三四節是関於詩人與幻想中的一個青年的對白 - 也許詩人舊身. 每一安慰獻上, 來兩三反駁. 終於懊惱了青年,反唇相譏一問,何為不尋舊徑回去? 天真無知小子何得懂! 詩人最後反擊的默針.

Thursday, April 11, 2019

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