江水三千里
Three thousand miles of river water,
家书十五行
Fifteen lines in a letter from home.
行行无别语
Line upon line says nothing else:
只道早还乡
Only, come back home soon.
What the poem means
Across a long river journey comes a short family letter. Every line repeats the wish that the traveler return soon. Repetition makes the longing feel close and personal.
Meet the poet
Yuan Kai was a Ming poet. Repeated words in a brief letter bring distant family care close.
Yuan Kai · More poems →