Your wife gazes at yellowing willows at home;
You on flowers falling on the ground while you roam.
Spring comes to end in two places on the same day;
You think of home and she of you far, far away.
Original Poem:
「望驿台」
白居易
靖安宅里当窗柳，望驿台前扑地花。
两处春光同日尽，居人思客客思家。
Interpretation:
This poem was written in March of 809 (the 4th year of the Yuanhe era), when Bai Juyi responded to his friend Yuan Zhen. At that time, Yuan Zhen, as a censor, was on a mission in Guangyuan, Sichuan. Taking this opportunity, Bai Juyi wrote this poem to his friend, expressing his deep feelings about friendship, separation, and nostalgia.
First line:“靖安宅里当窗柳，望驿台前扑地花。”
(In Yuan Zhen's house in Jing'an, the willows dance gently before the window; and in front of the post station, petals fall and cover the ground.)
These two lines first describe Yuan Zhen's home and its surroundings. "The willows before the window" are not only a description of Yuan Zhen's house but also a metaphor for the nostalgia of Yuan Zhen’s wife, with the willows symbolizing separation. The "falling petals" depict Yuan Zhen's solitude in exile and reflect his own feelings of loneliness and homesickness.
Second line:“两处春光同日尽，居人思客客思家。”
(The spring light fades in both places on the same day; the people at home think of their guests, and the guests think of their homes.)
This couplet highlights the intensifying emotional separation through the image of spring fading at the same time in both places. The passing of spring symbolizes the end of a time of happiness and unfulfilled hope. Thus, the poem illustrates the growing feelings of nostalgia and desire for reunion through the phrase "the people at home think of their guests, and the guests think of their homes."
Writing Characteristics
The poem highlights the theme of nostalgia through subtle descriptions and clever metaphors. Starting with well-balanced lines, Bai Juyi presents Yuan Zhen’s nostalgia for his wife and his loneliness in exile. Through the images of "willows before the window" and "falling petals," the poet visually and poetically conveys emotions, thus deepening the feelings of longing. The last two lines, through the fading spring light, further intensify the sense of separation and the mutual longing for home and exile.
Overall Analysis
In the form of a simple seven-line poem, Bai Juyi poignantly expresses his deep nostalgia for his friend Yuan Zhen and his emotions toward separation. By first describing the willows before the window and the falling flowers at the post station, Bai Juyi connects these natural images to human emotions, gradually showing the growing separation and intensification of feelings. The poem focuses on the theme of "nostalgia," and through simple language and natural imagery, it successfully conveys sincere affection between friends.
Insights
This poem shows how nostalgia can be expressed simply yet profoundly through subtle imagery and an emotional progression. Without relying on excessive embellishments, but rather on delicate narration and a sense of reciprocal separation, Bai Juyi conveys the intensity of friendship and thought for a friend. The poem reminds us of the importance of human relationships and how emotions can transcend distance, encouraging us to cherish the deep connections we share with those close to us.
Poem translator:
Xu Yuan-chong (许渊冲)
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.
