Mountain Travel (visiting Tu Fu)
I return to the temple once seen in my travels,
remembering the bridge as I cross it.
This mountain and its river have been waiting.
I see the flowering willow and become like nothing.
All in this country is vivid, shining in a thin mist.
The sand is soft, colored by the late day’s sun.
I wonder why I have not returned sooner.
Literal translations of classic Chinese poetry can be found at chinese-poems.com. This is my interpretation of a poem by Tu Fu. The literal translation, as provided at chinese-poems.com, is as follows:
Travelling Again
Temple remember once travel place
Bridge remember again cross time
River mountain like waiting
Flower willow become selfless
Country vivid mist shine thin
Sand soft sun colour late
Traveller sorrow all become decrease
Stay here again what this
Image source: ukiyo-e.org – Red Temple Gate, by Fujishima Takeji
More Chinese interpretations can be found here.
Today is Day 1 of National/Global Poetry Writing Month, and, though off-prompt, I’m sharing this at napowrimo.net.
rivrvlogr 
That’s a really lovely translation – it’s hard to get the nuances down but you really have 🙂 (This poem was part of our syllabus in high school in Asia, it’s really famous.)
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Thank you. 😀
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Flows beautifully, like the waiting river. (K)
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Thank you, Kerfe.
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This is beautiful. A sense of a dignified sorrow. Of choices.
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Thank you. Yes, choices., but missed opportunities mean other opportunities,
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Yes. Focus on what is not or what is. That is the thought.
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Praises for your phrases … not only easily read, but readily identified with …
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This is lovely, Ken–like a dream moment. (And it fits as a metaphor, too.)
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Thank you, Merril. Dream moment… yes, I like that.
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😀
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my goodness! Such a wonder- I was lost here- loved it
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🙂 Thank you.
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Excellent job, Ken. You’ve captured this with what I call “clear mind.”
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Thank you!
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You’re very welcome.
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You have such perceptive readers–as your translation deserves.
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Thank you, Rachel.
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I’m liking your version better.
Pat
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Thanks, Pat.
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