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Friday, November 3, 2017

The Ninth Moon

Tonight is the ninth full moon of the year under the traditional Chinese lunar calendar.  Here is my translation of a Tang poem by Li He, which is part of a series he wrote, with a poem in honor of each full moon of the year.



The Ninth Moon


The summer pavilion is empty now
But for a few stray fireflies
The sky has assumed a watery hue

The bamboo yellows
And the lotus withers
In the pond’s chill depth

Tonight the moonlight 
Will embroider everything
As it falls like a blessing

On the chill park and courtyard below
So tranquil, empty and pure

The frost dispersed by the wind
Will shine like a lattice haphazardly
Strewn across the grass

Nature’s most elaborate and colorful
Patchwork lies in layers underfoot

Not even a rooster will cry
To greet the dawn
Only stone pendants tinkling

And then the crows
Will caw loudly
As the golden leaves
From the Paulownia tree
Keep falling to the ground







九月

李贺

离宫散萤天似水     竹黄池冷芙蓉死
月缀金铺光脉脉     凉苑虚庭空澹白
霜花飞飞风草草     翠锦斓斑满层道
鸡人罢唱晓珑璁     鸦啼金井下疏桐

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