In Fuzhou, far away, my wife is watching
The moon alone tonight, and my thoughts fill
With sadness for my children, who can’t think
Of me here in Changan: they’re too young still.
Her cloud-soft hair is moist with fragrant mist.
In the clear light her white arms sense the chill.
When will we feel the moonlight dry our tears,
Leaning together on the windowsill.
– Du Fu (translated by Vikram Seth)
Evocative of some of our loved ones who may live far from us here at KAUST, this poem was written by one of the greatest of Chinese poets, sometimes called a Confucian sage. Born in 712AD in Shao-ling, Du Fu’s genealogy can be traced to the great Emperor Yao.
4 comments
How do you select the poems? Are there any voting system for this? Are students allowed to publish their poems on The Lens?
Dear Aquil,
There is no voting system. Editorial decisions are made by the Communications department. We would be more than happy to consider submissions from students and/or any members of the community. We do not guarantee acceptance and look for work that we believe has some relevance. Thank you for asking.
Christopher
Thank you Christopher. This is helpful.
Our pleasure.