My first time in Joshua Tree National Park was in 18, May 2018. The reason being that I have never seen the real Milky Way in my life. Seeing it in movies or in the planetarium does not count. It was on a lonely road that night that I laid right in the middle of it so that I don’t have to cringe on my neck. I did not feel the road was hard for my back at all. Finally, when the setting sun was totally gone, the darkness of the sky was marred by distant city lights and a crescent moon. At the same time, my eyesight is not as good as it used to be. Still, I enjoyed the quietude of the place, the warmth emanating from the asphalt and a coalescing poem in my mind… At least something to take back home with,
雲無千里星萬點, Cloudless for a thousand miles and a stretch of countless stars,
瀝青道路塵不嫌. Nary any dust upon the asphalt road.
躺臥觀天温氣升, I see the heavens; I feel the rising heat as I laid on it.
月鉤伴盡醉夢甜. The crescent moon with me to the end, savoring this sweet drunken dream.
Almost a year later on the last day of July, I was back again, although at a different side of the park. This time is was a moonless light. It was a much better night – no city lights as well. There were many more stars than the last time and I could detect the faintness of the Milky Way. I am sure my eyesight wasn’t any better than the last time. Once more, I had forgotten to bring my binoculars but again, laid right smack in the middle of the road. It was a warm night even though there was no heat emanating from the asphalt. A very much more enjoyable time than the previous one and hopefully so is this new poem,
夜闌月去看星河, The moon is gone and I stared into the Milky Way one late night,
萬點爭輝起風波. Myriad starlight vying with each other causing the wind and waves.
矇朧一時無限恨, A moment of befuddlement, an eternal regret,
老人眼前昨日歌. Before an old man’s eyes but a song of yesterday.
今宵銀漢仍如初,Tonight’s Milky Way is the same as before,
只是路人道中臥. Only through eyes of a traveller laying on the road.
視覺昏花難比舊, Sight of now cannot be compared to the days of old,
一片糢糊樂在何. A blurry stretch and joy of whence comes?
The first stanza is about Emperor Hsuan Tsung thinking of Yang Guifei. 長恨歌 is encrypted in there. The second stanza is about me.
