Thursday 12 September 2013

2 of 3 Loop Poems:蘇小妹 採蓮人在綠楊津 Lotus-root Picker of mine, by the green willows river!


                    
         
             
       
                  
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宋 • 苏小妹 《採蓮人》连环诗: 七言回文絕句
   
       采莲人在绿杨津,  在绿杨津一阕新。 
      一阕 新歌声漱玉,  歌声漱玉采莲人。    


宋 • 小妹 《採蓮人》连环诗: 七言回文絕句

      採蓮人在綠楊津,在綠楊津一闋新。
  

      一闋新歌聲嗽玉,歌聲嗽玉採蓮人。


In her reply, Xiaoxiao 苏小妹 of course v skilfully complimented her industrious husband Qin Shaoyou 秦少游 on employing such a new format of loop poem (cf. "Is heard such a new song fine" in her response below) and encouraged him to carry on working ("Lotus-root Picker of mine, by the green willows river!") despite delays in his planned return date. 

Translated into English verse, the second Loop Poem (in this series) sounds something like:



A 7-Character Jueju (4-lined verse) Loop Poem :
"LOTUS-ROOT PICKER OF MINE, BY THE GREEN WILLOWS RIVER!”

-- by SU XIAOMEI (Song Dynasty)
-- Translated by Frank C Yue

Lotus-root Picker of mine, by the green willows river!
By the green willows river, is heard such a new song fine.
Is heard such a new song fine, with a voice like bells silver;
With a voice like bells silver – Lotus-root Picker of mine!

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