孟郊诗

Poems of Meng Jiao


Index

夜感自遣

At Night, I Feel Like an Exile


(一作失志夜坐思归楚江又作苦学吟)
(From feeling lost at night, sitting, thinking of returning to Chu River and for my bitter hard study of poetry.)

夜学晓未休
苦吟神鬼愁
如何不自闲
心与身为雠

I study at night through the dawn,
Bitter hard poetry to make gods and monsters sad.
So what if I can't relax?
My mind and body are enemies.

死辱片时痛
生辱长年羞
清桂无直枝
碧江思旧游

Die disgraced -- suffer but an instant.
Live disgraced -- long years of shame.
Pure laurel, without a limb left straight.
Blue river, remembering its long journey.

-- 孟郊


废话

I think Meng Jiao is identifying with the exile of the king of Chu. This parallel of emperor Xuanzong's exile haunts the poetry of the Tang forever after the An Lushan rebellion. But Meng Jiao can't separate his identity as a poet with his empathy for Chu. "Study" (学) is clearly not the study he should be doing for his repeatedly failed exams. Meng Jiao's bitter hard study is always focused on poetry. In our time, there is no word for his effort. "Study" is what one does to assimilate a body of dogma. "Practice" is emulating others. What is the English verb for "strive for original perfection?"


Index