I left softly,
Just as I came.
I wave gently to the western sky,
Bidding the cloud goodbye.
The golden willow at the river bank
Is the setting sun’s bride.
Her quivering reflection in the waves
Is trilling in my heart.
Green grass on the soft bank
Dances on the riverbed, shinning.
In the gentle wave of Cambridge River,
I longed to be a string of weed.
That creek in the shadow of elm trees,
Not quiet spring but rainbow in the sky.
Bewildered amongst the floating weed,
Sedating my once vibrant dreams.
Hunting a dream? Wield a long punt pole,
Into the greener water amongst the green grass I mesmerized,
With a flood of starlight,
In the vivacious glow I sing my heart out loud.
But now I cannot sing,
Silence is the music of farewell;
Even the summer cicadas are sullen for me,
Silence is the Cambridge of tonight!
I left quietly,
Just as I came.
I wave my sleeve briefly,
Not taking even a cloud I left.
2010.06.08
Xu Zhimo's Poem Translation Attemp 1.
moved.mesmerized.detached.