孟郊诗

Poems of Meng Jiao


Index

过分水岭

Over the Watershed


(一作东岭)
(Written on East Ridge)

山壮马力短
马行石齿中
十步九举辔
回环失西东

Strong mountain wears down my horse as
He makes his way through these rocky teeth.
Of ten paces, nine need my urging.
No way back on either side.

溪水变为雨
悬崖阴濛濛
客衣飘飖秋
葛花零落风

Mountain river changes with the rain,
Its mists obscuring the overhanging cliff.
Traveler's clothes float in this autumn wind
That scatters all these purple flowers.

白日舍我没
征途忽然穷

Daylight gives me up for dead
As this long trail suddenly ends.

-- 孟郊


废话

Mang Jiao may be having one of those wilderness moments where the trail you are on ends up going nowhere. It just dies out. The penultimate line makes me think this is the case. This poem may go with the next one which makes it even more interesting. I'll talk about that there.


Index