One Thought, a Mortal Life · Stubborn and Foolish by Nature · 62 / 102
· Heaven's Decree
The has not burned the lonely heart to ash; it turns to a cool wind that clears my head. Past all the blooming and fading of the dusty world's splendor, a soul's fate leans aslant, rising and sinking.
Where I stand is no illusion, yet it seems one; my abiding wish is true a thousand times, ten thousand times over. The night rain dwindles into sleep and dreams; the drifting gossamer, forcing itself on through sickness, grows drowsy and dim.
Glosses—
aslant (qī xié): tilted, leaning over;
abiding wish: the aspiration one has always held;
dwindles (lán shān): waning, falling away;
drifting gossamer: a figure for the workings of the mind;
forcing itself on: to act, and keep acting, while carrying an illness.
*This piece is an original work. If you repost it, please credit the original author Shixi Lin; any infringement, once discovered, will be pursued to the full extent of the law. In addition, the accompanying illustration comes from the internet and belongs to its original artist, Hehewu.