孟郊诗

Poems of Meng Jiao


Index

Snow. Also, Revenge.


忽然太行雪
昨夜飞入来
崚嶒堕庭中
严白何皑皑

Sudden snow in Taihang mountains.
Last night, it all blew in.
Deep drifts in the courtyard --
So imposing, white so bright.

奴婢晓开户
四肢冻徘徊
咽言词不成
告诉情状摧

Slave girl in the morning doorway
Hesitates, her limbs half-frozen,
Chokes on her words. I barely make out
She's telling me how bad it is outside.

官给未入门
家人尽以灰
意劝莫笑雪
笑雪贫为灾

Government shipments can't get in the gates.
The servants all look wretched.
I tell myself not to laugh at the snow.
It would be laughing at the poor's misfortune.

将暖此残疾
典卖争致杯
教令再举手
夸曜馀生才

Invalided, I need some warmth, need to
make a real effort, need to hold off on the wine.
I am commanded again to raise my hand
As this boastful sunlight fills my inspiration.

强起吐巧词
委曲多新裁
为尔作非夫
忍耻轰暍雷

Rising strong, I spit on clever words,
Resign myself to dismissing much that's new.
This way, writing is not my master.
If struck by lightning, I'll endure the infamy.

书之与君子
庶免生嫌猜

The writing done by most gentlemen
Is an avoidance of suspicion and dislike.

-- 孟郊


废话

"Snow" (雪) is a euphemism for "revenge" in Chinese. I can offer no explanation. I would say Meng Jiao is still in his library job, wherever that is, because he probably can't afford his own slave. He's in some official place here, perhaps living where he works, if we go by line 9. But, of course, he's always thinking about poetry and it sounds like he's been in a slough of despond. It could be that his new literary agenda, post-Autumn-Mind, is being poorly received. This has put him into a funk which the first sun-filled snowy day brings him out of. I point out the other meaning of snow because it sounds like, in the final two lines, he has certain gentlemen in mind.


Index