Falling Blossoms
At last the guest leaves the high pavilion;
Blossoms scatter through the little garden.
Unevenly they trail along the winding path,
And follow the slanting sunlight into the distance.
Heartbroken, I cannot bear to sweep them away;
I look until my eyes ache, still wishing to return.
The fragrant heart goes with the ending spring;
All that remains is moisture upon my clothes.
Notes
The uneven winding path and slanting sunlight extend the view. “Eyes worn through” suggests long, intense looking. The fragrant heart can refer to a flower or an inner feeling; what wets the clothes is interpreted in different ways.
Meaning
After a guest leaves, falling blossoms fill a small garden; the speaker cannot bear to sweep them away and reflects on spring’s end.
Appreciation
The departing guest and falling flowers place two kinds of parting together.
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A winding path and slanting light carry the view outward.
The reluctance to sweep and the long gaze make attachment visible.
The fragrant heart and ending spring leave the identity and feeling open to interpretation.
About the poet
Li Shangyin (c. 813–c. 858), courtesy name Yishan, was a late Tang poet. His family came from the area of present-day Qinyang, Henan; accounts of his dates differ.
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He served in regional offices and wrote works including The Patterned Zither and poems titled Untitled.
Readers differ on the addressee of Night Rain Sent North and the specific meaning of Chang’e.