Saying Good-bye to Cambridge Again
By Xu Zhimo
Very quietly I take my leave
As quietly as I came here;
Quietly I wave good-bye
To the rosy clouds in the western sky.
The golden willows by the riverside
Are young brides in the setting sun;
Their reflections on the shimmering waves
Always linger in the depth of my heart.
The floatingheart growing in the sludge
Sways leisurely under the water;
In the gentle waves of Cambridge
I would be a water plant!
That pool under the shade of elm trees
Holds not water but the rainbow from the sky;
Shattered to pieces among the duckweeds
Is the sediment of a rainbow-like dream?
To seek a dream?
Just to pole a boat upstream
To where the green grass is more verdant;
Or to have the boat fully loaded with starlight
And sing aloud in the spleendour of starlight.
But I cannot sing aloud
Quietness is my farewell music;
Even summer insects keep silence for me
Silent is Cambridge tonight!
Very quietly I take my leave
As quietly as I came here;
Gently I flick my sleeves
Not even a wisp of cloud will I bring away
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4 comments:
Thanks, Xuejie, for posting this ovely, contemplative poem. Is this a writer that you frequently read? What can you tell me about the writer?
I really loike this "quiet" poem. Thank you for posting it!
This writer is one of my favorite poets, who named as Xu Zhimo. He was born in the south part of China and once studied in Cambridge, lived in Italy, died in the air craft. In Cambridge, he experiencd his deepest, most unforgettable love which ended with sad breaking up due to some family reasons. When he finished his colledge study and were going to leave Cambridge, he wrote this poem to commemorate his ages there and his love.
再别康桥 - 徐志摩
Never thought of translating Chinese poem into English. Nice attempt!
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