You grow around a tree with a name bright,
You cling together steeped in autumn light.
If your flowers could be stored up like gold,
The rich would pluck you down since days of old.
Original Poem:
「金钱花」
罗隐
占得佳名绕树芳，依依相伴向秋光。
若教此物堪收贮，应被豪门尽劚将。
Interpretation:
This poem uses the description of “Coinlike Golden Flower” to attack the insatiable, cruel and heartless nature of the aristocracy.
The first two lines: the Coinlike Golden flower with a good name around the tree spitting out the fragrance, and snuggling together towards the bright autumn light.
At the beginning, the poet praised the flower's good name, but also depicted the soft and beautiful figure of the money flower, and told people that it also has a refreshing aroma. Money flowers one by one, clusters of clusters, just like the love of partners, love each other, intimate, showing a pleasing, beautiful scene.
The last two sentences: If they are really like money can be collected, should have long been those noble families digging all cut up.
A turn of the pen, a sudden thought: money flowers so delicate and charming, if it really is money can be collected, those rich and powerful will have no pity to dig it all cut all! These two lines, which are cold and refined, are just like a sharp dagger, piercing through the cruel, heartless and insatiable nature of the exploiters, and revealing their ugly nature with a pinch of salt.
Luo Yin's poems are characterized by a sharp and spirited writing style, and he is good at organically combining cold irony with deep anger, which is a unique style.
Poem translator:
Xu Yuan-chong (许渊冲)
About the poet:
Luo Yin (罗隐), 833-909 AD, was a poet of the Tang Dynasty, a native of Hangzhou. His poems have the spirit of entering the world by facing the reality and life directly, bravely fighting against the darkness of the society with his poetic pen, attacking the bad government of the society, reflecting the hardship of the people in the society and expressing his personal hardships.
