Parting from Wang Wei (after Meng Haoran)
These quiet days are ending
and now I must leave.
I miss my home’s fragrant grasses
but will grieve at parting ā we’ve
eased each other’s burdens on this road.
True friends are scarce in life.
I should just stay there alone, forever
behind the closed gate.
* * *
“Parting from Wang Wei” is included in my micro-chapbook, No Eye But The Moon’s, available via free download at Origami Poems Project.
The transliteration on Chinese-poems.com reads:
Quiet end what wait
Day day must go return
Wish seek fragrant grass go
Grieve with old friend separated
On road who mutual help
Understanding friend life this scarce
Only should observe solitude
Again close native area door
If translation programs get better, I can’t help thinking about how much will be lost. This is beautiful.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Ellen. I can’t imagine that translation programs will ever truly learn nuance.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I hope not. My sense is that the sheer incoherence of what they hand you is what allows you the space you need to shape your translations.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I do appreciate the space offered by the transliterations. They give the skeleton, and it’s up to the reader to flesh out the bones.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Beautiful, Bob. However it’s stated, true friends in life are indeed scarce, and precious as solitude.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you, Cate. Yes, they are precious as solitude, which seems more difficult to achieve each day.
LikeLike
Reading it along with the transliteration really makes it bleed with sadness. Great interpretation!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you, Pablo.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Very beautiful. I also like the photograph of the beautiful grasses.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Randy. The photo is from morguefile.com.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your interpretation is quietly powerful, and I love downloading your Micro-poetry and the origami, I’m definitely improving with my folding, and they’re almost neat and square now.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Ivor. My folding skills have improved a bit, too. I like taking the origami microchaps to readings, to give them away.
LikeLike
I’ve been your microchap books to my poetry group, and they like your poems Robert. š
LikeLiked by 1 person
This calls for a toast!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ok I’ll be in that for sure, I’ve a nice soft pinot noir, called Bulloak, made by Zilzie Wines, from Karadoc, here in Victoria.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Iāve a new cava to try!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Cheers my friend, clink, clink, (sound effects)…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Cheers! š„
LikeLike
š·š·š¤š
LikeLiked by 1 person
Nicely done
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Derrick!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Those first 2 lines are heartbreaking. (K)
LikeLiked by 1 person
I seem to be living them more and more…
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think we all are.
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a beautiful poem. So glad with Ivor for suggesting it to me š
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you. And Ivor!
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re welcome, Robert š
LikeLike