There's a gleam of green in an old bottle,
There's a stir of red in the quiet stove,
There's a feeling of snow in the dusk outside --
What about a cup of wine inside?
Original Poem:
「问刘十九」
白居易
绿蚁新醅酒，红泥小火炉。
晚来天欲雪，能饮一杯无？
Interpretation:
This poem is a small and very interesting poem made by the poet when he was relegated to Jiujiang, Jiangxi Province. Instead of an invitation, he invites his friend Liu XIX to come and drink wine to get rid of the boredom in his heart.
In the first two lines, the newly brewed rice wine is green in color and rich in fragrance; the small fireplace is burning red.
The warmth of the room is very tempting. The newly brewed rice wine is light green in color, and the small fireplace made of red clay warms the wine and vegetables. The dancing fire in the small fireplace activated the poet's thinking, and the poet was immediately warmed up, full of vigor, eager to drink with his best friend, and talk freely to dispel the long time of depression.
The last two lines: It's getting dark and the snow is coming, can you come over to my house to drink a cup of warm wine?
The poet invites his friend. New wine, red stove, drinking alone, it will snow in the evening is lonely and boring situation, but wine and friends are recognized by the world to appear together, the poet is eager to invite friends when it is to get rid of loneliness of a good medicine, intoxicating and natural. Can my good friend Liu XIX come to drink and get drunk together? Liu nineteen is the poet in Jiangzhou only made friends, in the face of Bai Juyi's kind of deep love, the kind of desire to show the sincere friendship, how can he not go to it?
In this little poem, the poet captures the idea of a moment and makes it easy.
Poem translator:
Kiang Kanghu
About the poet:
Bai Juyi (白居易), 772-846 AD, was originally from Taiyuan, then moved to Weinan in Shaanxi. Bai Juyi was the most prolific poet of the Tang Dynasty, with poems in the categories of satirical oracles, idleness, sentimentality, and miscellaneous rhythms, and the most influential poet after Li Bai Du Fu.
