The dying light bleeds through the silent street,
Who’ll bear the weight of sorrow with me here?
No soul treads now the road of ages past—
Just wind-stirred wheat, the voice of autumn’s tear.
Original Poem
「秋日」
耿玮
返照入闾巷，忧来谁共语？
古道少人行，秋风动禾黍。
Interpretation
"Autumn Day" was likely composed during Geng Wei's later years or periods of itinerant life. Throughout his career, Geng Wei repeatedly entered official service only to face demotion, often drifting through borderlands or rural areas, channeling his pent-up emotions into poetry. Autumn, a season that naturally stirs melancholy, here frames a scene of desolate village lanes, abandoned ancient roads, and rustling millet fields—a somber tableau reflecting the poet's rootless existence and inexpressible sorrow.
First Couplet: "反照入闾巷，忧来与谁语。"
Fǎn zhào rù lǘ xiàng, yōu lái yǔ shéi yǔ.
Setting sun slants into the village lanes;
Sorrow rises—but with whom can I speak?
"Slanting light" (反照) signals dusk, its muted glow emphasizing the lanes' emptiness and stillness. "Sorrow rises" (忧来) ignites the poem's emotional core—a deceptively simple line that harbors profound isolation. The rhetorical question about speaking one's grief heightens the quiet desolation.
Second Couplet: "古道无人行，秋风动禾黍。"
Gǔ dào wú rén xíng, qiū fēng dòng hé shǔ.
No travelers walk the ancient road;
Autumn wind stirs the grain fields.
This couplet paints stillness punctuated by movement. "No travelers" (无人行) describes both the physical solitude and the passage of time's erasure, while "wind stirs the grain" (动禾黍) adds a whisper of motion—nature's response to the poet's inner turbulence. The rustling merges scene and sentiment, deepening the emotional resonance.
Holistic Appreciation
This poem, though concise in structure with only four lines, unfolds in layers, creating a profound and far-reaching atmosphere. From the "sunset's reflection" to "autumn winds through the fields," and from "no one to speak with" to "no one passing by," the poet conveys an inner void, solitude, and melancholy through landscape imagery, capturing the uniquely crisp beauty of autumn. The entire piece resembles an ink-wash painting—subtle in color, sparing in brushstrokes, yet hauntingly memorable. This approach exemplifies the classic technique of "expressing emotion through scene," while also reflecting Geng Wei's signature restrained and contemplative style.
Artistic Merits
- Emotion Woven into Scene, Silence Conveys Sorrow: Without explicitly mentioning "grief" or "loneliness," the poem evokes a pervasive desolation, showcasing the poet's mastery of mood and atmosphere.
- Concise Language, Expansive Imagery: Words like "reflection," "ancient path," and "fields" paint vivid scenes, immersing the reader in the moment.
- Rhetorical Question to Heighten Emotion: The line "When sorrow comes, who is there to speak with?" crystallizes the loneliness, laying bare the heart's anguish and helplessness.
Insights
This poem teaches us that emotions need not always be stated outright—sometimes, quiet scenes and natural shifts can speak volumes. Life inevitably brings moments when "sorrow comes with no one to confide in," yet within solitude and stillness, we may confront ourselves more honestly and reflect more deeply on existence. With minimalist strokes, Geng Wei sketches the autumnal desolation of the human heart, reminding us to seek inner peace and contemplation even in loneliness.
About the poet
Geng Wei (dates of birth and death unknown), courtesy name Hongyuan, was a poet during the Dali era (766-779) of Emperor Daizong of Tang Dynasty. A native of Hedong (present-day Yongji, Shanxi Province), he was recognized as one of the "Ten Literary Masters of Dali Period". His poetry is characterized by its serene subtlety, refined simplicity and profound restraint, embodying the reclusive ideals of mid-Tang literati while reflecting the distinctive cultural spirit of his era.
