Poetry Buds · 听古诗

OPEN POETRY LIBRARY · S01 / 066

An Early-Summer Quatrain

初夏绝句 · Lu You · Song dynasty

纷fēn纷fēn红hóng紫zǐ已yǐ成chéng尘chén

The many red and purple blooms have fallen to dust;

布bù谷gǔ声shēng中zhōng夏xià令lìng新xīn

Cuckoo calls announce a new summer season.

夹jiā路lù桑sāng麻má行xíng不bú尽jìn

Mulberry and hemp line the unending road;

始shǐ知zhī身shēn是shì太tài平píng人rén

Only now I feel myself a person living in peace.

What the poem means

Spring's bright flowers have faded and cuckoo calls announce summer. Mulberry and hemp grow along the road, giving the traveler a feeling of peace. This is the poet's momentary experience, not a claim that everyone had an easy life.

Meet the poet

Lu You was a Song poet. Cuckoo calls and green crops bring a moment of rural peace.

Lu You · More poems →