《念奴嬌（八月十三夜，與宋卿對月賞桂花於光遠庵，和李漢老詞）》 In the rhythm of Nian Nu Jiao: on the 13th night of the eighth month, under the Moon at Guang-Yuan An , I admired the osmanthus with Song, Qing and composed a ci-verse with Li, Hanlao By Ni, Cheng 倪偁 | Translation by Eric Chengyang
12th century, Southern Song dynasty, China 宋·南宋 紅藕香殘玉簟秋。輕解羅裳，獨上蘭舟。 雲中誰寄錦書來？雁字回時，月滿西樓。 花自飄零水自流。一種相思，兩處閒愁。 QQ此情無計可消除，才下眉頭，卻上心頭。 The scent of lotus turns residual; the mat in autumn gives a stone cold glow. Untying my chang-skirt and layered robes, I board a little boat, alone, afloat. Who sent down this brocade-wrapped parcel falling through the clouds with its heavy load? The wild geese return, record the backflow, as the moonlight tints the walls of Xi Lou. A lone river flows, petal drifts solo. A lovesick seed grows: two parted, sorrow. A feeling, being so hard to swallow, has become too vivid for disposal: below the eyebrows, it’s an overflow pulling the heartstrings, with its undertow. 《一剪梅·紅藕香殘玉簟秋》 In the rhythm of Yi Jian Mei (A Cut Plum Branch) By Li, Qingzhao 李清照 | Translation by Eric Chengyang
12 century, Song dynasty, China 宋·兩宋交際 تبدت لنا وسط الرصافة نخلة تناءت بأرض الغرب عن بلد النخل فقلت شبيهي في التغرب والنوى وطول التنائي عن بني وعن أهلي نشأت بأرض أنت فيها غريبة فمثلك في الإقصاء والمنتأى مثلي سقتك غوادي المزن من صوبها الذي يسح ويستمري السماكين بالويل A palm tree stands in the middle of Rusafa Born in the West, far from the land of palms I said to it, ‘How like me you are, far away and in exile! In long separation from family and friends You have sprung from soil in which you are a stranger And I, like you, am far away from home May dawn’s clouds water you, streaming from the heavens in a grateful downpour. نخلة الرصافة The Palm Tree of Al-Rusafa By Abd al-Rahman b. Muʿawiya (Abd al-Rahman I) عبدالرحمن الداخل
Translation by D. Fairchild Ruggles | Aural presentation by Rana Khattab 8th century, at Al Andalus 獨在異鄉為異客， 每逢佳節倍思親。 遙知兄弟登高處， 遍插茱萸少一人。 Being a lone foreign guest in this foreign town, as each festive season passes, the homesick atmosphere thickens. From here, I think of my brothers in the distance ascending the mountains. Over there, they think of my sole dogwood pin that is absent from the crowd. 九月九日憶山東兄弟 On the Double Ninth, Remembering My Brothers to the East of the Mountains By Wang, Wei 王維 | Translation by Eric Chengyang
Early 8th century, Tang dynasty, China 唐·盛唐 枝枝露滴紫金盤，千葉葳蕤勝合歡。 花萼同心兄弟似，殷勤簪向禦風冠。 As dews drop from every branch into the cinnabar dish, the thousand leaves are too lush for the pink silk trees to reach Like brothers, a core marrow are shared by the twin sepals: I will pin this fervor on the crown known as Yu Feng Guan. 《從弟某折並蒂石榴花簪予冠側請作詩 其一》 One of the poems: Breaking a sprig of twin pomegranate blossoms from my younger brother’s tree to wear it on my headwear By Qu, Daju 屈大均 | Translation by Eric Chengyang
17th century, Late Ming-Early Qing dynasties, China 明末清初 暗淡輕黃體性柔，情疏跡遠只香留。 何須淺碧深紅色，自是花中第一流。 梅定妒，菊應羞，畫闌開處冠中秋。 騷人可煞無情思，何事當年不見收。 Soft yellows with mellow souls, lightweight bodies, light-toned hues. Being distant and remote, it leaves trails as fragrant notes. Who needs light green or dark rose when it's top-tier on the roll? Who are envious? The plum blossoms. Who are blushing? The chrysanthemums. Among the floral railings and roads, it's crowned, on Mid-Autumn Festival. To the great poet who wrote "Li Sao", were you having emotional doubts? Why was the sweet osmanthus left out? 《鷓鴣天·桂花》 “Gui-Hua: Sweet Osmanthus” in the rhythm of Zhe Gu Tian By Li, Qingzhao 李清照 | Translation by Eric Chengyang
Around early 12th century, Song dynasty, China 宋·兩宋交際 Oset, pokrzywa, łopuch, belladonna Mają przyszłość. Ich są pustkowia I zardzewiałe tory, niebo, cisza. Kim będę dla ludzi wiele pokoleń po mnie, Kiedy po zgiełku języków weźmie nagrodę cisza? Miał mnie okupić dar układania słów, Ale muszę być gotów na ziemię bez-gramatyczną. Z ostem, pokrzywą, łopuchem, belladonną, Nad którymi wietrzyk, senny obłok, cisza. The thistle, the nettle, the burdock, the belladonna Have a future. Theirs are the wastelands And the rusty rail tracks, the sky, the silence. Who shall I be for people many generations after me, When, after the noise of languages, the award goes to silence? I was to be redeemed by the gift of arranging words But I must be prepared for an earth with grammar, For the thistle, the nettle, the burdock, the belladonna, Above which there is a breeze, a sleepy cloud, silence. Oset, pokrzywa Thistle, nettle By Czesław Miłosz | Translation by Veronica Spiljak
1991, Polish-American writer
《三字令》 San Zi Ling (Three-Character Song) By Wu, Zao 吴藻 | Translation by Eric Chengyang
19th century, Qing dynasty, China 清 江涵秋影雁初飛，與客攜壺上翠微。 塵世難逢開口笑，菊花須插滿頭歸。 但將酩酊酬佳節，不用登臨恨落暉。 古往今來只如此，牛山何必獨沾衣？ As autumn's hues are submerging in the river where the grey geese begin flight, with wine pots in arms, we ascend the mountains to reach the pavilion of Cui-Wei Ting. In this earthly realm, the fleeting sound of laughter is hard to catch, I shall decorate my head with chrysanthemums on the way back. Let's be intoxicated in the spirits of this festival. Let's forgo regrets at hillside, keep the sunset from sights of plight. From the past to the present, all matters have been ephemeral; from here to Mount Niu Shan, no need to follow Duke Jing of Qi soaking long robes in lonesome tears. 《九日齊山登高》 Hiking on the Qi-Shan Mountains on the day of the Double Ninth By Du, Mu 杜牧 | Translation by Eric Chengyang
9th century, Tang dynasty, China 唐·晚唐 憶對中秋丹桂叢，花在杯中，月在杯中。 今宵樓上一尊同，雲溼紗櫳，雨溼紗櫳。 渾欲乘風問化工，路也難通，信也難通。 滿堂惟有燭花紅，杯且從容，歌且從容。 On a past Zung-Cau festival, when osmanthus had grown, into the cup, petals were blown; inside the cup, the Moon had shown. Tonight, up the stairs and flights, we raise our cups to intone; windows are wet by clouds that groan, soaked by raindrops that are windblown. Wanting to ask the Creator, by riding a windstorm: the road above is hard to roam; the mailed letters were returned home. When the hall is filled with gloom, only the candles' warmth has shone: we shall share the drink without moan, share the song with a soothing tone. 《一剪梅·中秋無月》 “A Moonless Zhong-Qiu (Mid-Autumn) Festival” in the rhythm of Yi Jian Mei (A Cut Plum Branch) By Xin, Qiji 辛棄疾 | Translation by Eric Chengyang
Late 12th century, Southern Song dynasty, China 宋·南宋 昨夜雨疏風驟，濃睡不消殘酒。 試問捲簾人，卻道海棠依舊。 知否? 知否？應是綠肥紅瘦。 Last night with sudden wind, scattered rain, a night of deep sleep left a remnant taste of wine. I asked the one rolling up the blinds by the window, was told the crabapples were the same as usual. To know, or null? They are in thriving green, thinning red. 《如夢令·昨夜雨疏風驟》 In the rhythm of Ru Meng Ling (A Dream-Like Song) By Li, Qingzhao 李清照 | Translation by Eric Chengyang
Around 1100 AD, Northern Song dynasty, China 宋·北宋晚期 攀藤招逸客，偃桂協幽情。 水中看樹影，風裡聽松聲。 When the climbing vines reached out to the guests at leisure, the lodged osmanthus held back the deep thoughts in silence. Where the rippling shades of trees can be seen in water, the murmuring sound of pine leaves are heard in the wind. 《游長寧公主流杯池二十五首 其一》 Strolling around Princess Changning’s Winding Stream Garden: one of Twenty-Five Poems By Shang’guan, Wan’er 上官婉兒 | Translation by Eric Chengyang
Late 7th-Early 8th century, Tang dynasty, China | 唐·約武周后期 An overlooked herb, She thrives in the warmth and Drowns in a somber February. An ally for wounds, For unwanted ghosts, For rebirth, For healing. She grows everywhere, but if her stinging flowers grazes your skin, A rash is then gifted, Evidence of her greeting you. Nettles
Both English and aural Polish versions by Veronica Spiljak 2023
پاییزِ سنهوزه Autumn in San Jose By Ahmad Shamlou احمد شاملو | Translation by Niloufar Salimi
September, 1990, Iranian writer |