You Carry Me
by Frank Watson
I ride through hills, listening to the grrr grrr
of the wheels, and think of the lovely girl
I’m going to meet. I’m not starving or thirsty, but long
instead to marry you, the girl I love.

The forest is flat, the tree leaves
luxurious, spreading to embrace. I see a pheasant,
delicate, virtuous—her long-tail trails onto
flat ground. It is early morning and I think of you.

Though I feel sick and confused, I think
of the wedding feast, the drinks, and how
we’ll sing and dance together,
enjoying a tune, our time anew.

High up on the ridge there is a parapet peering
down below. There is a sound somewhere of
splitting oak, splitting oak for wood,
and here I see a fallen leaf.

I think of you and my heart’s consoled.
There is a mountain top, rising high and steady
from the ground. I gaze at it, admiring its strength
And the beauty all around.

My carriage has four horses. I work
the reins and their movements appear like the
playing of a lute. Dusk is coming soon and then
I will meet you, the comfort of my heart.


[After an anonymous Chinese poem in the Shijing]



Original Chinese

Traditional
Simplified
Pronunciation
車舝
车舝
chē xiá



間關車之舝兮，
间关车之舝兮，
jiān guān chē zhī xiá xī ，
思孌季女逝兮。
思娈季女逝兮。
sī luán jì nǚ shì xī 。
匪饑匪渴，
匪饥匪渴，
fěi jī fěi kě ，
德音來括，
德音来括，
dé yīn lái kuò ，
雖無好友，
虽无好友，
suī wú hǎo yǒu ，
式燕且喜。
式燕且喜。
shì yàn qiě xǐ 。
依彼平林，
依彼平林，
yī bǐ píng lín ，
有集維鷮，
有集维鷮，
yǒu jí wéi jiāo ，
辰彼碩女，
辰彼硕女，
chén bǐ shuò nǚ ，
令德來教。
令德来教。
líng dé lái jiào 。
式燕且譽，
式燕且誉，
shì yàn qiě yù ，
好爾無射。
好尔无射。
hǎo ěr wú shè 。
雖無旨酒，
虽无旨酒，
suī wú zhǐ jiǔ ，
式飲庶幾，
式饮庶几，
shì yǐn shù jī ，
雖無佳殽，
虽无佳殽，
suī wú jiā xiáo ，
式食庶幾。
式食庶几。
shì shí shù jī 。
雖無德與女，
虽无德与女，
suī wú dé yǔ nǚ ，
式歌且舞。
式歌且舞。
shì gē qiě wǔ 。
陴彼高岡，
陴彼高冈，
pī bǐ gāo gāng ，
析其柞薪，
析其柞薪，
xī qí zuò xīn ，
析其柞薪，
析其柞薪，
xī qí zuò xīn ，
其葉湑兮。
其叶湑兮。
qí yè xǔ xī 。
鮮我覯爾，
鲜我觏尔，
xiān wǒ gòu ěr ，
我心寫兮。
我心写兮。
wǒ xīn xiě xī 。
高山仰止，
高山仰止，
gāo shān yǎng zhǐ ，
景行行之，
景行行之，
jǐng xíng xíng zhī ，
四牡騑騑，
四牡騑騑，
sì mǔ fēi fēi ，
六轡如琴。
六辔如琴。
liù pèi rú qín 。
覯爾新昏，
觏尔新昏，
gòu ěr xīn hūn ，
以慰我心。
以慰我心。
yǐ wèi wǒ xīn。










Translation Notes

About a newlywed banquet.

車舝
Cart Linchpin-of-a-wheel


間關車之舝兮，
Between frontier-pass cart ’s linch-pin xi,
[Between frontier-pass = onomatopoeia for the sound of the friction of the wheels, jian guan, representing tossing and turning in bed.]
思孌季女逝兮。
Remember lovely season girl pass-away.
匪饑匪渴，
Bandits starve bandits parched,
德音來括，
Ethics sound come embrace,
雖無好友，
Even-if no good friend,
[This means friend of the bridal party]
式燕且喜。
Style enjoy moreover love.
依彼平林，
Luxuriant-tree-appearance that level-ground forest,
有集維鷮，
Have collect-together preserve long-tailed-pheasant,
辰彼碩女，
Early-morning that great woman,
令德來教。
Cause virtue come teach.
式燕且譽，
Style enjoy moreover fame,
好爾無射。
Good that no loathe.
雖無旨酒，
Even-if no purpose wine,
式飲庶幾，
Style drink numerous a-few,
雖無佳殽，
Even-if no good confused,
式食庶幾。
Style eat numerous a-few.
[Numerous a-few = similar, almost]
雖無德與女，
Even-if no virtue with woman,
式歌且舞。
Style sing moreover dance.
陴彼高岡，
Parapet-on-a-city-wall that high ridge,
析其柞薪，
Split its oak firewood,
析其柞薪，
Split its oak firewood,
其葉湑兮。
His leaf contains xi.
鮮我覯爾，
Good I seeyou,
我心寫兮。
My heart compose xi.
高山仰止，
High mountain raise-the-head-to-look halt,
[High mountain represents a virtuous person]
景行行之，
Scenery walk walk it,
四牡騑騑，
Four male horse horse,
六轡如琴。
Six reins as-if lute.
覯爾新昏，
Meet you new dusk,
以慰我心。
Therefore console my heart.

All writings and translations are Copyright © by Frank Watson, also writing as "Blue Flute" (2011-2014).
Year: 
2013