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239
武 威 春 暮 闻 宇 文 判 官 西 使 还 已 到 晋 昌
At Wuwei in Late Spring: I heard that Administrative
Assistant Yuwen was Sent West as an Envoy and has
Already Reached Jinchang 50
片 云 过 城 头
Clouds blow past the town,
黄 鹂 上 戍 楼
Orioles fly above the watch towers.
塞 花 飘 客 泪
Frontier blossoms flutter – a traveller's tears,
边 柳 挂 乡 愁
Borderland willows droop – homesick sorrows.
白 发 悲 明 镜
White headed, sighing with sadness before a clear mirror,
青 春 换 敞 裘 Green spring, 51 changing my ragged clothes. 52
君 从 万 里 使
You have been sent on a mission ten thousand li away,
53
闻 已 到 瓜 州 I hear that you have already reached Guazhou.
50 Wuwei 武 威 was the headquarters of the Hexi Military Commissioner 河 西 节 度 使 . Jinchang 晋 昌 , also known as Gua
Prefecture 瓜 州 , had its governing headquarters east of modern day Anxi county 安 西 县 , Gansu province. See CSJJZ, p.
90.
51 As in nearing the end of one's youth.
52 The CSJJZ comments that this and the preceding line are expressive of the poet-narrator's frustration with lack of any
real success or recognition. See CSJJZ, p. 90.
53 CSJJZ, p. 89.