詠雪梅二首
Two Odes to Snow and Plum Blossoms
By Li Xu (Miluo, Hunan)
English translation by Zhou Kenan
1.
沁園春•早春
Patio Spring (Qinyuanchun)
——Early Spring
絮舞東風，白浪銀濤，漫卷九天。
Snowflakes like silver waves pervade the high sky dancing in the east wind.
把層林素裹，千村重鎖，萬江凍透，丘壑冰寒。
All forests and villages are wrapped in white, all rivers, hills and valleys frozen and covered with ice and snow.
飛絕長空，路迷津渡，北國風光南國看。
No birds are flying in the sky, and no boats running at the ferry. The scenery of the north can be seen in the south.
當晴日，更疏梅綻放，香遍瓊園。
On a sunny day when plum blossoms bloom, the jade-like garden is full of fragrance.
* * *
山河如此鮮妍，
The mountains and rivers are so beautiful,
引多少英雄競摘冠。
That lots of heroes take off their hats and salute them.
數秦宮漢闕，落花雲散，唐廷宋府，流水飛煙。
The palaces of the Qin and Han dynasties disappeared like fallen flowers or dissipated clouds. The courts of the Tang and Song are invisible like water flowing away, or smoke scattered
羽箭雕弓，縱橫天下，烈烈轟轟彈指間。
The scene of arrows flying and people overrunning the world as they pleased became history in a flash.
今朝試看、中華兒女，誰寫新篇?
Today, see the sons and daughters of China. Who will write a new chapter?
2.
賀新郎•寒冬
Congratulating the Groom (Hexinlang)
——Freezing Winter
雨落神州地，夾揚花，似從天外，北風吹起。
Rain with snow falls on the Divine Land. The north wind seems to be blowing from the sky.
跌碎瓊瑤穿透樹，素裹銀妝萬里。
Broken jade falls on trees, the earth wrapped in silver for thousands of miles.
待夜幕，晶瑩熠熠。
When night falls, it shines brightly.
色映遠山迷津渡，釣寒江，隱隱漁蓑笠。
Bright color shines on the distant mountains and the ferry is blurred. A fisherman in a coir raincoat and a bamboo hat is vaguely seen fishing on the river clad in snow.
更錦上，添花筆。
What’s more, flowers are drawn on brocade.
冰凌踏破尋何急！
What do you seek, treading on the ice hurriedly!
斷橋邊，亭亭傲立，故香撲鼻。
Proudly it stands by the broken bridge, with fragrance to the nostrils.
日日思春春不至，唯有一番心意。
Every day I miss spring but it fails to come, and only a thought do I have.
奏《流水》，潺潺驚喜。
Music "Running Water" played, gurgling water is delightful.
玉陌霜阡殘照月，正人間、世界繽紛集。
The moonlight shines on the snowy footpaths, the world crowded with vivid and colourful things.
誰念我，心如鐵。
Who would think of me, with a heart of iron.