Saturday, 17 September 2022

lnhammer: the Chinese character for poetry, red on white background (Default)
The lonely one pulls on a robe.
The moon and dew get still more cold.
Part the curtain—a slash in the gut—
Dare she go downstairs and look?

玉台体 之十
独自披衣坐,
更深月露寒。
隔帘肠欲断,
争敢下阶看。

The curtain is specifically one covering a doorway. It sounds like her man has brought home another woman—given a contemporary reader was expected to grasp the sitch, despite not being explicit, it would appear this isn’t a rare scenario. Lost in translation: after pulling on a robe she “sits,” and she “longs to” slash her guts.

—L.

About

Warning: contents contain line-breaks.

As language practice, I like to translate poetry. My current project is Chinese, with practice focused on Tang Dynasty poetry. Previously this was classical Japanese, most recently working through the Kokinshu anthology (archived here). Suggestions, corrections, and questions always welcome.

There's also original pomes in the journal archives.

April 2025

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