Spring Dawn
Sleeping soundly in spring, I do not notice dawn.
All around, I hear birds calling.
Last night came the sound of wind and rain.
Who knows how many flowers have fallen?
Notes
Xiao means dawn. Chun mian refers to sleep in spring; bu jue xiao means not noticing that day has broken. Ti niao is birdsong. Zhi duo shao asks how many, without giving a number.
Appreciation
The poem begins on a spring morning. The speaker hears birds on waking, remembers wind and rain during the night, and wonders about fallen blossoms. Sounds invite the reader to picture the scene.
The first two lines move from lingering sleep to birdsong all around. The phrase ‘everywhere’ makes the world beyond the sleeper feel spacious and lively without counting individual birds.
The final lines turn back to the night and forward to the possible result of the weather. The question does not provide an answer; it expresses concern for the flowers and leaves the scene open to the reader’s imagination.
When reading with a child, listen for birds outside, then imagine where petals might land after spring rain. The poem invites observation rather than a single correct answer.
Poem text reference: Wikisource
Meaning
A spring sleeper wakes to birdsong and remembers the night’s wind and rain, wondering how many blossoms have fallen.
About the poet
Meng Haoran was a Tang poet whose landscape poems notice nature and everyday feeling.