胜州令

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A Song of Shengzhou

By ZHENG Yiniang

Tr. ZHAO Yanchun

The apricot blooms burst ablaze,

A drizzle mixed with haze.

The dawn gives out faint rays.

In my dream it seems

A fledgling something says.

Swallows edge in by the drapes to the beams.

In the shade of willows,

The shadow of the wall with a swing sways.

By the beautiful scene

Her double brows are charmed to raise.

Her hair flows loosely on her cheek;

She does not want a hairdo meek.

I muse before the sun

Who would like to be

With me, one in one,

For the time being nothing to shun.

But until today,

The end of sky and sea

Has seen no one coming up to me.

The past things all rush back to my brain.

Howe'er, to whom shall I complain?

At my love in the past,

My tears like pearls drip down, so fast.

Without my dearest in my sight,

I feel the phoenix net's a blight.

A mistake, 'twas all my mistake,

I was bamboozled by your sweetie vow fake.

You're away from me,

Four or five thousand li,

Kept off by the mountains and the sea.

I believed, as told,

You'd not marry again, even when old.

But could I, could I e'er

With you human happiness share?

Face powdered with rouge, I stand here,

Lonely, I think of you, so dear.

I will now write

You a letter with care.

I will make a clean breast of all I bear.

I will ask you how can you, how,

Forsake me, love the new,

Going against your vow.

Poor, poor me, I'm near death, near its brink,

Carefully I think,

I've lived in the world just for you.

But you have betrayed me, no, phew.