Poems Presented and in Reply, together with Li Zhangwu, Woman of the Wangs - PART B

[lnhammer]

[TN: These next four are exchanged at their second and final parting.]

Presented by the Wang Woman on Parting from Li Zhangwu
The Starry River is already tilted.
My soul and spirit long to transcend this.
I wish the gentleman would still embrace me.
Henceforth, until the end of days, farewell.

Zhangwu Replies to the Wang Woman
By dying split, secret and seen are parted—
How can one say there is an auspicious time?
Over and over we bid farewell, then part.
The place of sighs—who’s the one sent there?

Another Presented by the Wang Woman to Zhangwu
Expelled once from your bosom, later we met,
And now we part, dismissed till the end of days.
New sorrow, and as well the old resentment—
A thousand ages close the dried-up Springs.

Zhangwu Again Replies to the Wang Woman
Later, you’ll disappear without restriction.
Before, resentment—then we sought each other.
A parting road without a traveler’s message:
But how can I successfully send my heart?

河汉已倾斜，
神魂欲超越。
愿郎更回抱，
终天从此诀。〈王氏赠别李章武〉

分从幽显隔，
岂谓有佳期。
宁辞重重别，
所叹去何之。〈章武答王氏〉

昔辞怀后会，
今别便终天。
新悲与旧恨，
千古闭穷泉。〈王氏再赠章武〉

后期杳无约，
前恨已相寻。
别路无行信，
何因得寄心。〈章武再答王氏〉


The “dried-up springs” can mean either the grave or the afterworld, or more likely here both at once.

---L.

Comments

[sartorias]

Wow, this pair really is a couple of Eeyores.

[lnhammer]

Or maybe they're characters in a weepy Chinese romance ...