Bleak and Barren Front Yard: (Thinking of My Tender Lady)
念 奴 娇
萧 条 庭 院
又 斜 风 细 雨
重 门 须 闭。
宠 柳 娇 花 寒 食 近
种 种 恼 人 天 气。
险 韵 诗 成
扶 头 酒 醒
别 是 闲 滋 味。
征 鸿 过 尽
万 千 心 事 难 寄。
楼 上 几 日 春 寒
帘 垂 四 面
玉 阑 干 慵 倚.
被 冷 香 消 新 梦 觉
不 许 愁 人 不 起。
清 露 晨 流
新 桐 初 引
多 少 游 春 意？
日 高 烟 敛
更 看 今 日 晴 未？
Nian Nu Jiao
Xiao tiao ting yuan
You xie feng xi yu
Chong men xu bi.
Chong liu jiao hua han shi jin
Zhong zhong nao ren tian qi.
Xian yun shi cheng
Fu tou jiu xing
Bie shi xian zi wei.
Zheng hong guo jin
Wan qian xin shi nan ji.
Lou shang ji ri chun han
Lian chui si mian
Yu lan gan yong yi.
Bei leng xiang xiao xin meng jue
Bu xu chou ren bu qi.
Qing lu chen liu
xin tong chu yin
Duo shao you chun yi?
Ri gao yan lian
Geng kan jin ri qing wei?
Bleak and Barren Front Yard: (Thinking of My Tender Lady)
Bleak, barren front courtyard
Furthermore, there is a wind-driven slanting and delicate rain
Layers of closed doors.
Cold Food days approaching, tender flowers and drooping willow trees
People and weather cultivates my unhappiness.
My poetry with sophisticated rhymes
Hair-straightening wine
Sober up, finally leisure and tastes grow
Migrating geese all gone
Numerous heart-mind affairs difficult to post
Upper floors, few days of springtime cold
Blowing curtains on all four sides
Weary, lean against the jade railings.
Cold quilts, incense gone, awake from new dreams
Promise to myself to avoid melancholy.
Clear, widely spread dew morning
Young paulownia trees beginning to stretch
How many springtime desires can I go out to see?
Sun high in the sky, mists receding
Do I see a change in the sunny weather?
Notes:
Cold Food Days: Festival commemorating the death of Jie Zitui during the Zhong Dynasty. In modern times, one day is set aside where no food is cooked with fire. Occurring around Qing Ming, it is also known as Tomb Sweeping Day for the living to honor the ancestors.
Paulownia trees: Very fast-growing tree native to most of China. Full of flowers during springtime.