University of Virginia Library

昔聞南國容華少。
今日東鄰姊妹三。
妝閣相看鸚鵡賦。
碧窗應繡鳳凰衫。
紅芳滿院參差折。
綠醑盈杯次第銜。
恐向瑤池曾作女。
謫來塵世未為男。
文姬有貌終堪比。
西子無言我更慚。
一曲豔歌琴杳杳。
四弦輕撥語喃喃。
當臺競鬥青絲髮。
對月爭誇白玉簪。
小有洞中松露滴。
大羅天上柳煙含。
但能為雨心長在。
不怕吹簫事未諳。
阿母幾嗔花下語。
潘郎曾向夢中參。
暫持清句魂猶斷。
若睹紅顏死亦甘。
悵望佳人何處在。
行雲歸北又歸南。

We used to hear about the south, its splendid fresh appearance
now it's these eastern neighbors these sisters three
up in the loft, inspecting their trousseaus reciting a verse about parrots
sitting by blue-green windows embroidering phoenix garments
their courtyard filled with colorful petals like red smoke, billowing unevenly
their cups full of good green wine tasted one by one
It's dreadful, staring into the mystic pond, knowing you'll always be female
banished from heaven, stuck in this life, unable to do what men do
a poet who happens to have some beauty, ends up being compared
to a gorgeous woman who's silent— that makes me feel ashamed
me, singing solo love songs upon this vanishing zither
plucking the four strings softly murmuring the words
facing my mirror and dressing table to admire my black silk hair
as if I could rival the moon by flaunting a white jade hairpin
A little cave among the pines where dew drips down
the sky above the willows a great net filled with mist
when you can be like the rain your heart will have strength to go on
and you won't be afraid to blow the flute before you've fully mastered it
my mother would get upset because I talked to flowers
and my lover was from the past a poet who came to me in dreams
The spirit makes fine, fresh verses and then is broken
it's like watching a lovely young woman give up her will to live
these gorgeous young creatures who knows what they'll come to?
the clouds float north the clouds float south.