Classic Poem

Brought to bed by sickness, cut off from men,
I hid myself among cloudy peaks
Cliffs and valleys filled the eye and ear;
the ones I loved — their faces, their voices far away;
gone the hopes of finding a heart's companion,
long regretting I must always be alone,
near the end of the road, I met my honored cousin:
frowns faded, hearts were opened up.

After we had opened our hearts,
my sole contentment was in you
Across the valleys you searched out my room;
I opened my books, told you all I knew.
At evening I thought how the dawn moon would pale;
mornings I fretted that the sun would set too soon.
We walked together, never tiring;
we met — and now we're parted again.

Parted, taking leave at the western river;
I turned my shadow back to the hills of the east

When we parted it was sorrowful enough;
since then the pain never seems to end.
One thought — to wait for joyful news;
then came your poem about a " river-crossing, "
about your trials with wind and wave,
of every aspect of the beaches and shoals.

Beaches and shoals where you linger so long,
wind and wave delaying your journey.
Wrapped in your memories of the bright capital far away,
how could I expect you to recall these empty valleys?
And though you favor me with this message,
it serves only to trouble my thoughts
If — if you would come back as you said,
together we could enjoy the late spring.

Late spring — there would still be time!
more time for pleasure if you came the month before,
when the mountain peach unfurls its crimson petals
and meadow ferns are sheathed in purple
Already the chatter of birds delights me,
but still there's gloom in my out-of-the-way home
In dreams I wait your boat returning,
coming to free me from meanness and care.