Poetry Buds · 听古诗

OPEN POETRY LIBRARY · S01 / 058

In the Fields

田上 · Cui Daorong · Tang dynasty

雨yǔ足zú高gāo田tián白bái

Rain fills the upland fields with pale water;

披pī蓑suō半bàn夜yè耕gēng

In a straw cape, he plows at midnight.

人rén牛niú力lì俱jù尽jìn

Both farmer and ox have spent their strength,

东dōng方fāng殊shū未wèi明míng

Yet the eastern sky is still not bright.

What the poem means

Rain fills the fields with shining water. A farmer works through the night in a straw cape. Both person and ox are exhausted before dawn. Explain the effort gently, without frightening a child.

Meet the poet

Cui Daorong was a Tang poet. This poem notices a farmer and ox working at night.

Cui Daorong · More poems →