Jacaranda Rain I

While gardening in the backyard, a white bench was drenched with fallen  jacaranda blooms which gave impetus to the line 紫花雨... 

It started off as a 5 character poem and for a few days, I worked on it until I had head off to Seattle-Victoria for a vacation.  I don't fret about when the poem is to be completed or put on a hold for a few days or even a few weeks.  I always believe there is a higher reason for it.  When I was ready to publish it and wrote it out with a brush for digitization, I found the tonal quality of the changes from last night was not up to par.  In the end, by changing the poem into a 7 character one, a smoother reading was achieved.

1 後庭清風蘭影處 Fresh breezes in the backyard and under the shadows of orchid blooms,
2 自閑無慮靜詩書 Carefree and insouciant to the world, I write poetry in quietude,
3 莫識春光求榮貴 Not realizing the importance to seek glory and success in one's springtime,

4 豈能安享紫花雨 How then, would the purple blossom rain be enjoyed carefreely?

2 書 is when used as a verb it means “write”, usually with brush and ink. As a noun, the line can be interpreted as “poetry and calligraphy”.

4 In Chinese, jacaranda is 藍花楹 but is too unwieldy to be used here - akin to using a botanical name instead of the common moniker. Jacaranda blossoms will fall enmasse like rain when the time is right - best not to plant it in a place where sweeping is required! I had mine planted in the backyard far away from any walking path.

Saturday, May 28, 2022