The Full Moon Shines On The Little Red Mansion Poem by East Sea Fairy Xing Yi

By SUN Weixin Translated by East-sea Fairy

Shines the bright full Moon high
above the little mansion red.
The sound of a bamboo flute nearby
arouses the past imprinted dead long in my head.
On the handrail is a thick frost freezing and dread.
Clear is the sky, as clear as a river of lucidity.
Often I feel that by sorrow my heart is torn to many a shred
when thinking of Yangzhou city
of a fickle notoriety.

A thick layer of dust spreads
on the water-geese-feather coat I wore.
Sewing it kept your fair fingers busy for many days with needles and threads.
Have passed like a dream ten years and a score.
The womanizing romance has become bygones of yore.
Now of age hoary,
with my head covered with hair hoar
I can sigh forth out groans void and empty
to the plum blossoms only.