Mt. Rainier

This poem was written by my friend Eric She, 余明峯 while visiting Mt. Rainier. Most probably it was inspired by the above picture as the poem appeared as a comment to it. It was dated on 27 Sep 2010.

冷杉秋溪靜無語 Cold pines, autumn brook silent with no words,
空山黃葉飄靈雨 Empty mountains, yellow leaves dance in life giving rain.
千峰映潭淨如許 A thousand peaks reflecting in limpid pools of pure,
風高雲越人獨旅 Stronger winds come more clouds passed yet a lonely traveler that I am.

Perhaps I was reading too much between the lines but I felt he was writing about his sentiments of being ‘forced’ to leave the US and return to Taiwan soon. On the 3rd line, the character ‘feng’ meaning peak forms part of his name. His full name means ‘bright peak’.

Since his leave is beyond his control, he might as well make peace with himself and seek solace as reflected in the 3rd line. I love his last line. To me the winds represent the forces beyond his control while clouds represent his friends and people that he met. The more they pass through his life, the lonelier he becomes in his life.

His poem conveys too much sadness and no hope for the future. Hence my reply to his poem with another poem. Though mine reflects on his theme of loneliness and the haplessness of the situation, there is hope at the end of the tunnel.

The divine bridge of Heaven is just a more descriptive name for a rainbow. Although no one can walk on it, it represents hope. I used this contradiction to contrast his poem that the more people passing through his life, the lonelier he becomes.

I drew on the inspiration mainly from his picture and poem. The piece of music playing in the background was sent coincidentally by my sister Serene.

池中杉影無波浪, In pools of no ripples are the reflections of pine trees.
天上神橋未見人. Up in the sky no one walks on the divine bridge of Heaven.
風吹葉落破鏡映, Winds blew, leaves fall breaking the mirror’s light,
遠見行者快一雙. A far I see the traveler soon a loner no more.