Danmei Society for the Egregious Misuse of Chinese Poetry and Literature

東城高且長
dōng chéng gāo qiě zhǎng
[east] [wall] [high] [and] [long]
The Eastern wall is high and long,

逶迤自相屬
wēiyǐ zì xiāng zhǔ
[curving] [winder] [self] [mutually] [join]
snaking, winding, rejoining itself.

迴風動地起
huí fēng dòng dì qǐ
[turn] [wind] [move] [earth] [rise]
The turning wind shakes the earth and rises,

秋草萋已綠
qiū cǎo qī yǐ lǜ
[autumn] [grass] [luxuriant] [already] [green]
as the fragrant Autumn grasses lose their colour.

四時更變化
sì shí gèng biàn huà
[four] [season] [still] [change] [change]
The four seasons change endlessly –

歲暮一何速
suì mù yī hé sù
[year] [sunset] [one] [how] [fast]
how quickly the year ends!

晨風懷苦心
chén fēng huái kǔxīn
[morning] [wind] [bosom] [bitter] [heart]
The falcon harbours a bitter heart,

蟋蟀傷局促
xīshuài shāng jú cù
[cricket] [cricket] [hurt] [narrow] [close]
and the crickets suffer from being cramped.

蕩滌放情志
dàng dí fàng qíng zhì
[clean] [cleanse] [release] [emotion] [will]
Cleanse yourself, set your emotions free –

何為自結束
hé wèi zì jié shù
[what] [for] [self] [knot] [bind]
why restrain yourself and hold back?

燕趙多佳人
yàn zhào duō jiā rén
[Yan] [Zhao] [many] [excellent] [person]
There are many exquisite women in Yan and Zhao,

美者顏如玉
měi zhě yán rú yù
[beautiful] [one who] [countenance] [like] [jade]
the beautiful ones with countenance like jade.

被服羅裳衣
bèi fú luó shang yī
[cover] [garment] [gauze] [garment] [clothes]
The clothing that covers her is fine latticed silk,

當戶理清曲
dāng hù lǐ qīng qū
[as] [house] [put in order] [clear] [tune]
as she stands in the house composing a clear melody.

音響一何悲
yīn xiǎng yī hé bēi
[sound] [noise] [one] [how] [sorrow]
How mournful is the sound –

絲急知柱促
sī jí zhī zhù cù
[thread] [tense] [know] [pillar] [urge]
the strings are tense, the bridge is pressured.

馳情整中帶
chí qíng zhěng zhōng dài
[speed] [emotion] [order] [middle] [belt]
A rush of emotion, she adjusts her composure,

沉吟聊躑躅
chén yín liáo zhí zhú
[deep] [hum] [chat] [hesitate] [falter]
deep in thought, humming hesitantly.

思為雙飛燕
cī wèi shuāng fēi yàn
[think] [as] [pair] [fly] [swallow]
In thought we are a pair of flying swallows –

銜泥巢君屋
xián ní cháo jūn wū
[hold] [mud] [nest] [you] [house]
let’s take mud and build a nest under your roof.