Bai Juyi: The Liuyao and Shuidiao Melodies: (Poplar and Willow Tree Branches: Eight Poems): No. 5

The Liuyao and Shuidiao Melodies: (Poplar and Willow Tree Branches: Eight Poems): No. 5

杨 柳 枝 词： 八 首

(5)

人 言 柳 叶 似 愁 眉
更 有 愁 肠 似 柳 丝。
柳 丝 挽 断 肠 牵 断
彼 此 应 无 续 得 期。

Yang Liu Zhi Ci: Ba Shou

(5)

Ren yan liu ye si chou mei
Geng you chou chang si liu si.
Liu si wan duan chang qian duan
Bi ci ying wu xu shi qi.

The Liuyao and Shuidiao Melodies: (Poplar and Willow Tree Branches: Eight Poems): No. 5

(5)

These days people and willow tree leaves are like sad eyebrows
Melancholy insides have experiences like willow tree silk.
Friends have to go, pulling out the willow tree silk creates disorder for the branches and our insides
Leaving one another, we cannot renew our friendships and these branches.

Notes:

Old tradition and customs saw departing family and friends giving each other branches and twigs from nearby willow trees.