舒亶:虞美人
Shu Tan (1041-1103): to the tune “Lady Yu”
芙蓉落尽天涵水,日暮沧波起。
Falling lotus flowers disturb the Heaven Pond’s clear water, at dusk blue waves arise.
背飞双燕贴云寒,独向小楼东畔倚阑看。
High a swallow pair flies below the freezing clouds, as I am lonely watching from the balcony.
浮生只合尊前老,雪满长安道。
In a floating life, the only appropriate way is to venerate the old. Snow covered the streets of Chang’an,
故人早晚上高台,寄我江南春色一枝梅。
when in old times (Fan Ye) was watching from the tower day and night, waiting for Lu Kai to bring him a flowering peach twig from the south.