Now available everywhere!

'Tis true - I've loaded the book to all Amazon sites now, so you can get it in whichever country you are just by clicking here. Enjoy :)

Now Available!

 

 

The first English edition of poems by China's foremost modern poet Xu Zhimo, who studied in Cambridge in the early 20th Century. Whilst here he became enchanted by the Romantic poets such as Keats and Shelley; this form of poetry was to infuse his work from that point on, inspiring him break through traditional Chinese poetic reserve and constraints and changing the medium forever. His poetry is revered by young and old alike in China, but especially amongst the teenagers and young adults.

 

This selection contains some of his most famous and well-loved works including By Chance, You Are in His Eyes, For Whom, The Weak Flame of a Star, A Pipa Tune in an Alley at Midnight and the seminal Saying Goodbye to Cambridge Again.

 

Get yours here.

Saying Goodbye to Cambridge Again

Very quietly I take my leave

As quietly as I came here;

Quietly I wave goodbye 


To the rosy clouds in the western sky.




The golden willows by the riverside 


Are young brides in the setting sun;

Their reflections on the shimmering ripples

Linger on in the depths of my heart. 


The floating heart growing in the silt

Sways leisurely under the water;

In the gentle waves of Cambridge

I would be a water reed!

That pool under the shade of elm trees

Holds not water but a rainbow from the sky;

Shattered to pieces among the duckweeds

Is the sediment of a colourful dream.

To seek a dream? Just to punt a boat upstream

To where the green grass is more verdant;

Or to have the boat fully loaded with starlight

And sing aloud on a river silver and diamond.

But I cannot sing aloud,

Silence is my farewell music.

Even summer insects keep mute for me;

Cambridge is soundless tonight!





Very quietly I take my leave

As quietly as I came here;

Gently I flick my sleeves.

Not even a wisp of cloud will I bring away.

再别康橋 (Saying Goodbye to Cambridge Again)

再别康橋

輕輕的我走了，
正如我輕輕的來；
我輕輕的招手，
作別西天的雲彩。

那河畔的金柳，
是夕陽中的新娘；
波光裡的艷影，
在我的心頭蕩漾。

軟泥上的青荇，
油油地在水底招搖；
在康河的柔波裡，
我甘心做一條水草！

那榆蔭下的一潭，
不是清泉，是天上虹；
揉碎在浮藻間，
沉澱著彩虹似的夢。

尋夢？撐一支長篙，
向青草更青處漫溯；
滿載一船星輝，
在星輝斑斕裡放歌。

但我不能放歌，
悄悄是別離的笙簫；
夏蟲也為我沉默，
沉默是今晚的康橋！

悄悄的我走了，
正如我悄悄的來；
我揮一揮衣袖，
不帶走一片雲彩。