Rambling Thoughts

This came about when I needed something new to practise my calligraphy. One could say that there are so many numerous poems to draw upon. However, only a few had etched forever into my mind. I do not like to look and copy them onto the paper because it breaks my concentration. Writing the same piece over again and again is boring, just like taking the same walking route in the park day after day. This came from the inspiring line, 路遙崎嶇人生短from the poem. This is just rambling from an aroused mind.

01 路遙崎嶇何復返  How do one retreat on a long craggy road of ups and downs?
02 水流東去無西向 Rivers flow east, nary a western direction.
03 冉冉前進步步新 Slowly on a forward move, each step new,
04 喜樂悲哀誰豈怨 To whom can joys and heartaches be blamed on?
05 莫行人生道        Strode not on the path of men,
06 活不人               To live yet a human nary be.
07 盡頭依然難逃刼 No matter, at the end of the road, ‘tis difficult to escape from the ultimate calamity.
08 首顧知曉失敗否 At least, looking back knowing that a life fully lived.
09 途中棄廢非成就 Abandoning a journey halfway is no success,
10 了結凡心夢仙遊 Once the mortal heart is satisfied wouldst an immortal life be achieved.

1 崎嶇 can also mean life’s hardships

2 Rivers in China flows from an easterly direction due to the geographical features of the land.

5 Originally, I used 人生路 – the road of life. In using 道 – path, as in English has a double meaning. The next line tells which meaning is to be used.

6 Originally, I had used, 不活人. Combining with the original text of the previous line, this would mean, “Those who does not trod on the road of life are dead people.” 活不人 – more like a wolf in a sheep’s skin or trying to pass off as a human being.

Friday, April 29, 2022