A Long Song (Dwelling Amid Twilight’s Smoky Hues) - Lu You
/长歌行(家住苍烟落照间) - 陆游/
Where Twilight Shadows and an Unyielding Heart Converge
【Important Note on Historical Authenticity】
No widely recognized historical record in major anthologies confirms a poem by Lu You (陆游, 1125–1210) that opens with “家住苍烟落照间” under the title “长歌行.” While Lu You did compose poems titled “长歌行,” their precise texts differ from the one suggested by this incipit. The text below is therefore presented as a **representative reconstruction**—an homage reflecting Lu You’s characteristic themes and style, rather than a verified historical source.
【Reconstructed Chinese Text】
长歌行(家住苍烟落照间)
家住苍烟落照间，
门临溪路接云山。
池边老柳知人意，
不放春风过客闲。
一自霜凝梦里戎，
平生志事转尘环。
犹思铁马冰河志，
莫负年华赋此笺。
【Literal English Rendering (Line by Line)】
A Long Song (Dwelling Amid Twilight’s Smoky Hues)
I dwell where twilight’s smoky haze meets the sinking sun;
My gate faces a creek-side path that winds toward the misty hills.
Beside the pond, aged willows seem to heed my heart’s yearning,
They will not let the spring breeze pass me by without stirring.
Ever since frost rimed my martial dreams,
The aspirations of my life have been caught in dusty cycles.
Still I recall the vision of armored horses crossing icy rivers—
Let me not squander these passing days, setting forth my resolve in verse.
No widely recognized historical record in major anthologies confirms a poem by Lu You (陆游, 1125–1210) that opens with “家住苍烟落照间” under the title “长歌行.” While Lu You did compose poems titled “长歌行,” their precise texts differ from the one suggested by this incipit. The text below is therefore presented as a **representative reconstruction**—an homage reflecting Lu You’s characteristic themes and style, rather than a verified historical source.
【Reconstructed Chinese Text】
长歌行(家住苍烟落照间)
家住苍烟落照间，
门临溪路接云山。
池边老柳知人意，
不放春风过客闲。
一自霜凝梦里戎，
平生志事转尘环。
犹思铁马冰河志，
莫负年华赋此笺。
【Literal English Rendering (Line by Line)】
A Long Song (Dwelling Amid Twilight’s Smoky Hues)
I dwell where twilight’s smoky haze meets the sinking sun;
My gate faces a creek-side path that winds toward the misty hills.
Beside the pond, aged willows seem to heed my heart’s yearning,
They will not let the spring breeze pass me by without stirring.
Ever since frost rimed my martial dreams,
The aspirations of my life have been caught in dusty cycles.
Still I recall the vision of armored horses crossing icy rivers—
Let me not squander these passing days, setting forth my resolve in verse.
In this **reconstructed** “A Long Song (Dwelling Amid Twilight’s Smoky Hues),” we envision Lu You in the twilight of his years, residing in a peaceful spot where “smoky haze” merges with “the sinking sun.” While the scene at first appears domestic and serene—a gate opening onto a creek-side path—the poet’s internal landscape brims with memory and desire.
1. **Rural Tranquility and Inner Yearning**
- The opening lines capture a subdued ambiance: low light, soft clouds around distant hills, and aged willows by a pond. Yet the poet’s mention of “not letting the spring breeze pass by” hints that, beneath outward calm, there is a longing for engagement—whether with nature or with lost ambitions.
2. **Threads of Martial Past**
- “Ever since frost rimed my martial dreams” nods to Lu You’s hallmark theme: unfulfilled patriotic zeal. In many of his authentic poems, he laments the unachieved reconquest of northern lands seized by foreign powers.
3. **Iron Horses on Icy Rivers**
- The line recalling “armored horses crossing icy rivers” (an echo of the famous “铁马秋风” or “铁马冰河” from his verified works) underscores how deeply these visions of heroic campaigns remain etched in his psyche, even as time moves on.
4. **Harnessing the Moment**
- “Let me not squander these passing days” reveals the poet’s ongoing resolve. Though physically removed from the front lines, he can still write, reflect, and keep his patriotic spirit alive in verse—a lesser outlet, perhaps, but one that ensures his ideals endure.
This short poem seamlessly blends rustic imagery with resonant longing—hallmarks of Lu You’s authentic style. Even in a tranquil setting, the poet’s mind roams toward past or imagined battlefields, reaffirming his conviction that life’s meaning lies in upholding greater ideals, despite the slow drift of days.
Key points
• Depicts a peaceful, rural abode at twilight—contrasted with the poet’s restless inner world.
• Alludes to martial aspirations (“armored horses on icy rivers”) that remain unfulfilled.
• Balances a contemplative present (aged willows, passing breeze) with recollections of duty and patriotic purpose.
• Serves as a **creative homage**, illustrating how Lu You might have mingled domestic quietude with enduring zeal in a poem under the “长歌行” rubric.
