One Thought, a Mortal Life · Stubborn and Foolish by Nature · 53 / 102
· Finding Delight
A snap of the fingers, and the years flow by. Idly I , then lie back and watch the painted screen drift through its illusions. Through the long spring day I brew tea and prune the branches; the aloeswood sends up its fragrance, and my eyes swim.
I pluck the 's thin string and a clear song rises, half a sigh; cup in hand, I drink greedily, and the human world grows remote. The cool moon half lights the red rain of petals; ink from my own hand lays bare a heart that lingers, tender.
Glosses—
The long spring day: a day of spring;
Aloeswood: the sinking incense-wood;
The thin string: the fourth string of the pipa, and by extension the pipa itself;
The cool moon: the moon;
Remote: distant, far away;
Red rain: fallen blossoms coming down like rain.
*This piece is an original work. If you repost it, please credit the original author Shixi Lin; any infringement, once discovered, will be pursued for legal liability. In addition, the accompanying illustration comes from the internet and belongs to its original artist, Hehewu.