Poetry of Spring #1 When can I go home?

(Title)
bó chuán guā zhōu
泊 船 瓜 洲

                 (Author) wáng ān shí
                            ----王安石

jīng kǒu guā zhōu yī shuǐ jiān，
京 口 瓜 洲 一 水 间，

zhōng shān zhǐ gé shù chóng shān。
钟 山 只 隔 数 重 山。

chūn fēng yòu lǜ jiāng nán àn，
春 风 又 绿 江 南 岸，

míng yuè hé shí zhào wǒ huán。
明 月 何 时 照 我 还。

(Translation)

泊船: anchoring the boat
瓜洲: Guazhou, a town in the Song Dynasty, now it's in Yangzhou City
京口: Jingkou, a city in the Song Dynasty, now it's in Zhenjiang City
一水: a river
钟山: a mountain, now it's Zijin Mountain in Nanjing City
隔: behind
数重山: a few mountains
春风: wind in the spring
绿: make it green

江南: an area, referring to the South of the country
明月: the moon
何时: when
还: go back home


(Appreciation)
There's only one river seperate Jingkou and Guazhou. My hometown is behind a few mountains. The spring wind is blowing again, making the field look so green! When can I go back home in this moonlight?

Poetry of life #6 Homesickness during the war!

(Title)
chūn wànɡ
春 望

          (Author) dù fǔ
                   ----杜 甫

ɡuó pò shān hé zài，chénɡ chūn cǎo mù shēn。
国 破 山 河 在， 城 春 草 木 深。

ɡǎn shí huā jiàn lèi，hèn bié niǎo jīnɡ xīn。
感 时 花 溅 泪， 恨 别 鸟 惊 心。

fēnɡ huǒ lián sān yuè，jiā shū dǐ wàn jīn。
烽 火 连 三 月， 家 书 抵 万 金。

bái tóu sāo ɡènɡ duǎn，hún yù bù shènɡ zān。
白 头 搔 更 短， 浑 欲 不 胜 簪。

(Translation)

国/城: capital of Tang Dynasty, XiAn                          
破: get invaded

山河: mountains and rivers                                        
在: still exist

草木深: grass and trees are everywhere, meaning the citied is abandoned

感时: being sad about the situation                           
花: flowers

溅泪: crying                                                                
恨别: have to leave

鸟: birds                                                                     
烽火: fire indicating the war

三月: three months, January, February, March          
家书: letters for home

万金: a lot of gold                                                       
白头: white hair

短: short                                                                     
不胜: cannot handle it

簪: hairpin

(Appreciation)

The capital got invaded by the enemies. The country did not exist anymore even though the mountains and rivers were still there! As I was walking in the capital, all I could see were grass and trees. I was so sad about the situation that even the flowers next to me were crying. Even the birds could feel that I didn't want to leave the country. The war had been going on for three months since January. I wanted to send a letter home, but it's so expensive! I scratched my head too hard that I started to loose my white hair. The hair got too short for me to use the hairpin.

Poetry of life #4 Homesick!

(Title) _ (Subtitle)
tiān jìng shā _ qiū sī
天 净 沙 _ 秋 思

                  (Author) mǎ zhì yuǎn
                            ----马 致 远

kū téng lǎo shù hūn yā，
枯 藤 老 树 昏 鸦，

xiǎo qiáo liú shuǐ rén jiā，
小 桥 流 水 人 家，

gǔ dào xī fēng shòu mǎ，
古 道 西 风 瘦 马。

xī yáng xī xià，duàn cháng rén zài tiān yá。
夕 阳 西下， 断 肠 人 在 天 涯。

(Translation)

枯藤: dried up branches                                                       

老树: old trees

昏鸦: crows at night                                                             

小桥: small bridges

流水: stream                                                                          

人家: houses

古道: ancient roads                                                               

西风: wind blown from the west

瘦马: thin horses                                                                   

夕阳: sunset

断肠: broken intestines, meaning missing someone/something too much

天涯: the end of the earth

(Appreciation)
There were a lot of dried branches on the old trees and some crows were standing on these branches. There was a stream under this little bridge. At the other side of the bridge, there were a few houses. The wind blew along the ancient roads where I was riding a tired horse. It's already sunset, but my home was so far away! I missed my home!