Mountain Songs

Infinite Longing

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Desiccated landscape of Inner Mongolia

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Infinite Longing

        Li Bo 699-762
Infinite longing for you
In the city of Infinite Peace

Infinite longing,
Memories of you for so long,
When will these campaigns at the passes
         come to an end?
I gaze toward windswept clouds,
News of you cut off,
Through the mountain woods
        return letters do not arrive;
In vain do I stitch my poem-puzzle,
Afraid to see if this face since we parted,
Is still like the one when we first met.

Infinite longing,
        Pressing the heart.

Chánɡ Xiānɡ Sī

Lǐ Bái 699-762

Chánɡ xiānɡ sī,
Zài chánɡ’ān.
Luòwěi qiūtí jīnjǐnɡlán,
Wēishuānɡ qī qī dān sè hán.
Gūdēnɡ bù mínɡ sī yù jué,
Juǎn wéi wànɡ yuè kōnɡ chánɡ tàn.
Měirén rú huā ɡé yúnduān.
Shànɡ yǒu qīnɡmínɡ zhī ɡāotiān,
Xià yǒu lùshuǐ zhī bōlán.
Tiān chánɡ lù yuǎn hún fēi kǔ,
Mènɡ hún bú dào ɡuānshān nán.
Chánɡ xiānɡ sī,
Cuī xīnɡān.

Translator: Paula Varsano 翻譯者

Notes:
Translation from Paula Varsano's great book on Li Bo, Tracking the Banished Immortal, The Poetry of Li Bo and Its Critical Reception, University of Hawaii Press, 2003.