[updated October 2022]
Waiting For Him at the Tongde Pavilion, Send This As a Gift to Imperial Master Scholar Li: Two Poems
同 德 阁 期 元 侍 御 李 博 士 不 至 名 投 赠: 二 首
庭 树 忽 已 暗
故 人 那 不 来.
只 应 厌 烦 暑
永 日 坐 霜 台。
官 荣 多 所 系
闲 居 亦 愆 期。
高 阁 犹 相 望
请 山 欲 暮 时。
Tong De Ge Qi Yuan Shi Yu Li Bo Shi Bu Ge Ming Tou Zeng: Er Shou
Ting shu hu yi an
Gu ren na bu lai.
Zhi ying yan fan shu
Yong ri zuo shuang tai.
Guan rong duo suo xi
Xian ju yi qian qi.
Gao ge you xiang wang
Qing shan yu mu shi.
Waiting For Him at the Tongde Pavilion, Send This As a Gift to Imperial Master Scholar Li: Two Poems
Front courtyard trees suddenly grow dark
Old friend has not arrived.
I have grown bored with the summer heat.
All day long sit on a cool terrace.
Having a well-paying government position, with many levels and places within the system
But you Mr. Li live an easy life of leisure, yet you are tardy too.
From a tall pavilion still gaze into the distance
Green mountains on the point of turning to dusk.
Commentary:
Not as common as the many departure poems, are poems like this one. These I call the “I-am-waiting-for-my-friend-to-arrive” poems, as well as others I call the “I went-to-see-him-but-he-wasn’t-there” poems.