Thoughts In The Golden Sunset: Poem by Frank Yue

- Poem inspired by Classical Chinese verses in the Autumn of life

Coloured clouds and alone wild goose soar towards the Sun;
Now the Autumn waters and the long, long skies are one.
The parting Sun is infinitely endearing.
Alas, the light of day is fast!
The trees all want silence, but the wind's still singing its song.
The children long to repay their parents, but they were gone!

Spring silkworms spin till they're old and run out of thread.
Burning candles weep till no more tears they can shed.
Heaven and Earth, so boundless and without end -
I'm alone, tears swell my eyes again and again.
O, Where is my home in the setting Sun's streaks of gold shiver?
Adding to the darkening gloom are hazy waves of the river.

O, How I pine for the wise, old woodsman at my path's turning;
In the mountains we'd talk and laugh and ne'er thinking of returning.
The world's not heedful of my cravings: I can't find my true me.
Tomorrow, I'll untie my hair and my boat -- I shall be free!
I will ride the long wind, break the waves -- and will you join me?
Hoisting my sail to touch the clouds, I'll cross the deep blue sea!

If child-like faces we'd keep, of old age we could be free --
We should be drunk, drinking flowing sunset clouds to the lees!