Last Poem of 2022

This morning, I was jogging on the wet road around the neighborhood. The rains had stopped and the air was fresh but cold. I felt sad and lonely as they was no one on the street and unlike yesteryears, I wasn’t invited to any New Year’s Eve party. Neither did I want to throw one at my place.

1 路濕何有街上人 The road is wet and how could there be pedestrians?
2 清風獨步伴孤魂 Only the freshness of the wind strolls along with the lonely soul.
3 昨日榮華門客甚 With yesterday’s splendor and glory hangers-on aplenty,
4 權別無親今時辰 But now to power bade goodbye, nary a one an intimate at this hour.

2 清風 is short for 兩袖清風 – an upright and incorruptible official.

3 門客 are hangers-on for the rich and powerful where they were employed to give advice etc. for some personal gain. Even Confucius tried his hand but was unsuccessful most probably he lived in the wrong age when war and strife is rampant.

Saturday, December 31, 2022