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A Little Rain

小雨 · Yang Wanli · Song dynasty

雨yǔ来lái细xì细xì复fù疏shū疏shū

Rain comes fine and sparse again;

纵zòng不bù能néng多duō不bù肯kěn无wú

Though never much, it will not stop completely.

似shì妒dù诗shī人rén山shān入rù眼yǎn

As if jealous of the mountains filling the poet’s eyes,

千qiān峰fēng故gù隔gé一yì帘lián珠zhū

It screens a thousand peaks behind a beaded curtain.

What the poem means

Sparse fine rain persists without becoming heavy. It hangs like a curtain of pearls between the poet and the mountains, as if jealous of the view. The weather's feelings are a playful invention.

Meet the poet

Yang Wanli was a Song poet who found lively details in plants, birds and small changes in nature.

Yang Wanli · More poems →