A Night at an Inn
At the inn I have no close companion;
Gathered in thought, I grow quiet and sad.
By the cold lamp I remember old times;
A lone goose startles my troubled sleep.
A dream of faraway home returns near dawn;
A family letter arrives after the year has turned.
The blue river has lovely mist and moonlight;
At the door a fishing boat is tied.
Notes
A lone goose has lost its flock; near dawn describes the time of the dream. “Across the year” can indicate the turn of the year. The mist and moonlit river in the final couplet admit different interpretations of mood and viewpoint.
Meaning
Alone at an inn, the traveller remembers the past, dreams of home and awaits a family letter, ending with a misty river and fishing boat.
Appreciation
The absence of a companion establishes solitude.
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A cold lamp and a lone goose move between waking memory and troubled sleep.
Dream and letter both point toward distant family.
The moonlit river and fishing boat introduce another possible life, with room for differing interpretations.
About the poet
Du Mu (803–852), courtesy name Muzhi, was a Tang poet and official from the area of present-day Xi’an. His works include Mountain Journey, Spring in Jiangnan and the prose-poem Efang Palace.
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Life: Du Mu held posts in the Yangzhou area and later served in regional offices, including Huangzhou and Chizhou.
Works: Alongside Qingming, his well-known writing includes Mountain Journey, Spring in Jiangnan and Efang Palace.