Friday, December 28, 2018

Two Constrasting Poems


The first poem is entitled, "凡間仙氣 - Earthly Fairyness".  It was inspired by the following scene as I was walking through the Cabrillo Marina, a few days before Christmas of 2018.  The sky was clear and warm sunlight shafting through.  "Enjoy what you have now instead of fantasizing things you cannot get".


霜雪無踪神緒曠, Feeling great that nary a snowflake or frost be seen,
銀影鱗遍微波浪. And everywhere sunlight glitters all over the sea of calm.
蓬萊稀霧難一見. A rarity indeed to see the Immortal Isles partly bare,
凡間仙氣眼前藏. But permeating all over on this earth, lie the many hidden fairyness before thee.


The next one is untitled.  Now that all Christmas festivities are gone like the blink of the eye; only the cold is left like some guest staying too long.  The main inspiration of this poem comes from the flute rendering of 大魚 - Big Fish. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJ6dhjdxeFE&start_radio=1&list=RDCJ6dhjdxeFE

On the surface, it's about someone playing a flute on a boat while journeying through a wintery scenery.  Actually, it is about old age robbing the joys of youth and one's nostalgia of returning to things to the way they were. A contrast to the previous poem.

For the allusion of the Peony Pavilion, see
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Peony_Pavilion

霜雪橫掃點紅影,
The frost angrily blotting out all traces of red,
愁笛更添遍白靜.
Lonelier the blanketed white becomes from the sound of the melancholy flute.
一江東向岸何在,
The river may head east but the bank is nowhere in sight,
回尋昨夜牡丹亭. Back to last night in the Peony Pavilion once more met.


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