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In the “Jade Terrace” Style #8, Quan Deyu
Tuesday, 13 September 2022 06:48My empty room, the candle snuffed—
Behind gauze curtains, time to sleep.
Cried out, I long to slash my guts.
Wisdom—that man doesn’t know it.
玉台体 之八
空闺灭烛后，
罗幌独眠时。
泪尽肠欲断，
心知人不知。
This one’s a little different from the previous “lonely lady” poems. Lost in translation: she’s “alone” inside the bed-curtains. Tricky bit: the last line has a bunch of possible alternate readings, including “my heart knows but that man doesn’t” or “my heart knows what that man doesn’t” or “my heart, people don’t know it.” Suggestions welcome.
---L.
Behind gauze curtains, time to sleep.
Cried out, I long to slash my guts.
Wisdom—that man doesn’t know it.
玉台体 之八
空闺灭烛后，
罗幌独眠时。
泪尽肠欲断，
心知人不知。
This one’s a little different from the previous “lonely lady” poems. Lost in translation: she’s “alone” inside the bed-curtains. Tricky bit: the last line has a bunch of possible alternate readings, including “my heart knows but that man doesn’t” or “my heart knows what that man doesn’t” or “my heart, people don’t know it.” Suggestions welcome.
---L.