Halcyon Days

I was feeling nostalgic as disco music came blaring into my headphones. Though its beat and throbbing drums no longer stir up the passion in my blood, the nostalgia of bygone days could not be avoided. Like someone you once seemed to know but could not be placed in the mind… Nay! I know not such an ancient creature before me. I wanted to flee but was transfixed on the spot in a state of incredulity. Then the weight of its years began to peel away and an angel slowly grew out from the now discarded shell. It held out a hand and led me back to the nights of eons ago on the dance floor…

1 舊日明月照花前 In days of yore when the moon shone brightly before the flowers,
2 今夜瀛臺莫一見 But tonight, the Ocean Terrace is seen no more.
3 東海蓬山雲烟鎖 For the Eastern Sea where the Immortal Isles are, is locked in mists,
4 流水何曾為誰憐 And since when does Time have sympathy for anyone?

1 The original line was 曾經明月照花前 but I didn’t want to repeat 曾 in the last line.

2 瀛洲 is one of the Immortal Isles in the Eastern Ocean.

4 流水, flowing waters denote the passage of time.

Wednesday, March 2, 2022