One Old Man: After The Tears Are Dry, Only Traces Remain 一老年人 殘柳垂枝拂碧寒 寂堤孤步影身單 Poem by Frank Yue

Poem No.78

Qī Jué‧Qī Liǔ: The Seven-Word Verse -
The Piteous Willow:A Palindrome Poem
-by 一老年人 One Old Man
-Translated by Frank C Yue


A. (Original Poem Read Normally from Front to End - )


《七絕‧淒柳》回文


殘柳垂枝拂碧寒，

寂堤孤步影身單，

欄杆倚望遠山白，

看盡淒悲痕淚乾。


The withering Willow, with its branches weeping,

The gloomy darkening Cold is a-sweeping.

Alone, along the lonesome embankment I walk;

Only by my own shadow my body is stalk'd.

By the railing, gazing at the distant snow-capped hill -


I take in all the miseries, m'tears are dry, until.



B.(Original Poem Read in Reverse from End to Front - )


回讀成另一七絕：


乾淚痕悲淒盡看，

白山遠望倚杆欄，

單身影步孤堤寂，

寒碧拂枝垂柳殘。


After the tears are dry, only traces remain;

I have seen all those piteous scenes in vain.

I am viewing the faraway white-haired mountain

As I lean against the railings, row after row;

On the lonesome embankment -where no one now goes -

Chilling Gloominess hits the branches at

the side;

The weeping Willow just gives out sighs after sighs!


(2013.11.26.)