English中文
Standing Below the Steps at Night
半明半昧星
Stars glimmer, half bright and half dim;
三点两点雨
A drop of rain here, another there.
梧桐知秋来
The paulownia seems to know autumn is coming;
叶叶自相语
Leaf after leaf whispers to its neighbors.
Meaning
Stars are dim and bright by turns, with a few drops of rain. The paulownia seems to know autumn has arrived, its leaves whispering to one another. This is personification.
About the poet
Yuan Mei was a Qing poet. A few stars, drops and whispering leaves make a quiet autumn night.