On Double Seventh Night Poem by East Sea Fairy Xing Yi

BY FAN Dacheng

Tonight is the time when the Cowherd and the Weaving Maid
cross the Milky Way to reunite.
For this once-a-year meeting, they'd,
they'd rather forget weaving and ploughing quite.
The other six single fairies must get green eyed, and her bright
sister Phoebe must frown her irritation,
and her aunty Wind, from spite,
will complicate the situation,
by raising winds and blowing up rains as interruption.

This unfortunate couple's reunion is so brief
that I believe that they'd better not have this rendezvous.
For it's of no relief,
but to stir the sleeping sorrow of the parting of them two,
and the passing pleasure of such a fleeting reunion, to be true,
not only cannot beat the sadness of a year-long separation,
but also add to,
add to their old sorrow new affliction
for them to bring back to chew as rumination.