After Double Nine Days: Mid-Autumn Chrysanthemum Flowers
垂 阳 后 菊 花
寂 寞 东 篱 湿 露 华
侬 前 金 靥 照 泥 沙。
世 情 儿 女 无 高 韵
只 看 重 阳 一 日 花。
过 了 登 高 菊 尚 新
酒 徒 诗 客 断 知 闻。
恰 如 退 士 垂 车 后
势 利 交 亲 不 到 门。
Chui Yang Hou Ju Hua
Ji mo dong li shi lu hua
Nong qian jin ye zhao ni sha.
Shi qing er nu wu gao yun
Zhi kan chong yang yi ri hua.
Go liao deng gao ju shang xin
Jiu tu shi ke duan zhi wen.
Qia ru tui shi chui che hou
Shi li jiao qin bu dao men.
After Double Nine Days: Mid-Autumn Chrysanthemum Flowers
No people are calm, Tao Yuanming’s eastern fence radiant with dew and moisture
Flowers a golden glow above the mud and sand.
Society and our young without true high-level thoughts
They only wait to view again these one-day sun-filled flowers.
Once passed the Mid-Autumn days, the tall mums a fresh treasure
Wine-influenced poet visitors are no where to be found.
Appropriate for this retired scholar to ride in the rear of a cart
The snobbish and outward appearances people, even my relatives do not arrive at my door.
Notes:
Tao Yuanming: (365-427 AD) Famous ancient Chinese poet during the Eastern Jin Dynasty. He biography and work can also be found on this website.
Eastern fence: From a line of Tao Yuanming’s famous poem, Drinking Wine: Number 5