Here is "綺麗"/"Rare Beauty" by Sikong Tu, poem #9 of 24. At some point I'll actually write something about how each poem fits into what I think Sikong Tu is trying to do, but that'll require marshalling more mental resources than I have at the moment.
A quick note about the 琴 qin, or 古琴 guqin: it sometimes gets called a zither, and while it's in the same category, not calling it by its actual name is like replacing "harpsichord" with "piano" because they're similar.
The red apricots in the second stanza may or may not be a nod to the idiom 紅杏出牆 "the red apricot leans over the garden wall," which is a poetic way of describing a wife with a secret lover. I can see Sikong Tu going either way here. That second stanza as a whole is really gorgeous, I think.
Enjoy.
微臣
史大偉
-----
綺麗
A quick note about the 琴 qin, or 古琴 guqin: it sometimes gets called a zither, and while it's in the same category, not calling it by its actual name is like replacing "harpsichord" with "piano" because they're similar.
The red apricots in the second stanza may or may not be a nod to the idiom 紅杏出牆 "the red apricot leans over the garden wall," which is a poetic way of describing a wife with a secret lover. I can see Sikong Tu going either way here. That second stanza as a whole is really gorgeous, I think.
Enjoy.
微臣
史大偉
-----
綺麗
司空圖
神存富貴
始輕黃金
濃盡必枯
淡者屢深
霧余水畔
紅杏在林
月明華屋
月明華屋
畫橋碧陰
金尊酒滿
伴客彈琴
取之自足
良殫美襟
-----
"Rare Beauty"
Sikong Tu
Those rich and noble in
spirit
from the outset think
little of gold;
intensity surely
withers away in the end,
simple things often
take on deeper meaning
Fog lingering on the
riverbank
red apricots in the
grove
moonlight on a stately
house
a bridge outlined in
blue shadow
A golden vessel
brimming with wine,
a companionable guest
playing the qin;
seek your contentment
in these things
and surely your heart
will be full
No comments:
Post a Comment