Poem: 咏柳Yǒng Liǔ

Yǒng Liǔ
咏柳
Hè Zhīzhāng (Táng)
贺知章（唐）
Bìyù zhuāng chéng yī shù gāo,
碧玉妆成一树高，
wàn tiáo chuíxià lǜ sītāo.
万条垂下绿丝绦。
Bùzhī xìyè shuí cáichū,
不知细叶谁裁出，
Èryuè chūnfēng sì jiǎndāo.
二月春风似剪刀。

诗词评析：
“丝绦”是用丝线编织成镶在衣服上的带子。
刚刚长出碧玉般嫩绿新叶的柳树就像是刚刚梳妆过的身材苗条婀娜的美人，千条万缕垂下的柔嫩枝条好像美人裙子上的绿色裙带。不知道这碧绿柔嫩的细叶是谁裁出来的，原来是二月的春风，它就像剪刀一样，“裁”出了这个花红柳绿，生机盎然的春的世界。
这首咏物诗写的是早春二月的杨柳。诗人别出新意地把杨柳化身为美人。诗歌用了一连串形象的比喻，一环紧扣一环，不仅写出了春柳的美，也给人很多关于美的启示。
Evaluation
“丝绦sītāo” refers to a ribbon plaited with silk which is usually laced on the dress.
The willow tree is just sending forth new leaves which looks like a slender and graceful beauty freshly dressed up. Thousands of new tender branches are the green belts on the her dress. We are wondering who has cut out such delicate and emerald green leaves when we suddenly realize that it is the spring wind in February which functions like scissors accomplishing this great job.
The poem is about the willow tree in the February of early spring. The poet personified the willow tree as a beauty. He uses a series of metaphors, which not only depict the graceful gesture of the spring willow, but also leave us space for imagination.
词语注释 Meanings
碧玉(bì yù)： Jasper (n.)
嫩绿(nèn lǜ) ： light [soft] green; verdancy(adj.)
梳妆(shū zhuāng) ：dress and make up(v.)
苗条(miáo tiao)： slender; slim(adj.)
裙带(qún dài)： the waistband of a skirt(n.)
剪刀(jiǎn dāo)： scissors(n.)
裁 (cái) ： Cut(v.)
启示(qǐ shì)：enlightenment(n.)