Poem: "After Rain, Listening to the Melancholy of Returning Home, Two Poems"
Dynasty: Tang Dynasty
Author: Wu Rong

Mountains' birds keep calling through the night,
The rain shows no sign of stopping.
Everyone talks about the joy of returning home,
But it only adds to my sadness of parting.

Far from home, I have to rely on traveling for food,
My homeland is far away in the distant land.
Hearing this, I cannot sleep,
In the dim light of the thatched cottage.

Birds fly and sing through the night,
The sounds echo till the late hours.
Seems like because of the separation on the road home,
It always startles my spirit of parting.

The rain of sorrow is not yet shed,
But the moonlight shines through,
A must know for wandering poets,
Lying in bed, overwhelmed by emotions.

---

Translation:
After the rain, listening to the melancholy of returning home, two poems

Mountain birds call throughout the night,
And the rain has yet to cease.
Everyone speaks of the joy of going home,
But it only deepens my sorrow of parting.

Far from home, I rely on travel for sustenance,
My homeland lies in a distant place.
Hearing this, I cannot fall asleep,
In my humble thatched cottage, dimly lit.

Birds fly and sing throughout the night,
Their voices resounding till the early morn.
It seems as if the road home separates me,
Always startling my weary soul.

The rain of sorrow has yet to darken,
But the moonlight shines through.
Wandering poets must know this,
Lying on their pillows, overwhelmed by emotions.

---

Poetic Meaning and Appreciation:
This poem expresses the melancholy of being far from home and the longing for a return. The poet listens to the sounds of mountain birds in the rain, which remind him of the joy others experience when returning home. However, for him, it only adds to the sadness of being separated from his homeland.

The poem creates a vivid image of the poet's humble dwelling in a thatched cottage, with a dimly lit lantern. The rain and birdsong become symbols of his longing and homesickness, as he contemplates the distance between his current location and his homeland.

The repetition of the rain and birds singing throughout the night conveys a sense of longing and restlessness, as the poet struggles to find peace and sleep.

The use of contrast between the rain of sorrow and the moonlight suggests that although the poet feels the pain of being apart from home, there is still a glimmer of hope and beauty that shines through. This highlights the bittersweet nature of being a wandering poet, filled with emotions and yearning for one's homeland.

yǔ hòu wén sī guī lè èr shǒu
雨后闻思归乐二首
shān qín lián yè jiào, jiān yǔ wèi cháng xiū.
山禽连夜叫，兼雨未尝休。
jǐn dào sī guī lè, yīng duō lí bié chóu.
尽道思归乐，应多离别愁。
wǒ jiā fāng lǚ shí, gù guó zài cāng zhōu.
我家方旅食，故国在沧洲。
wén cǐ bù néng mèi, qīng dēng máo wū yōu.
闻此不能寐，青灯茆屋幽。
yī yè niǎo fēi míng, guān guān chè wǔ gēng.
一夜鸟飞鸣，关关彻五更。
shì yīn guī lù gé, zhǎng shǐ bié hún jīng.
似因归路隔，长使别魂惊。
wèi shěng chóu yǔ àn, jiù zhòng shāng yuè míng.
未省愁雨暗，就中伤月明。
xū zhī yuè yín kè, yī zhěn bù shèng qíng.
须知越吟客，欹枕不胜情。

“故国在沧洲”平仄韵脚