Po Zhen Le (Dew-Flower Reflections) - Liu Yong
/破阵乐(露花倒影) - 柳永/
Where Dewy Petals and Parting Echo a Quiet Longing
【A Representative Reconstruction in the Style of Liu Yong】
破阵乐(露花倒影)
露花倒影，
正疏雨、敲窗初歇。
小榭无人，淡月半轮，
桂子香浮寂夜。
解佩曾偎，
旧欢相对；
今夕但余萧瑟。
纵有佳时，
依旧年光虚设。
独倚阑干，
望断远潮依稀。
未觉帘幕垂寒，
只怜心事如水。
弦管梦中，
怅此情难寄。
试问归期，
谁识泪痕清泪？
【Literal English Rendering】
Po Zhen Le (Dew-Flower Reflections)
Beneath dew-laden blossoms whose reflections tremble,
A light shower taps at the window, then subsides.
In the small pavilion, no one lingers;
A pale half-moon drifts overhead,
The faint scent of cassia drifting through the silent night.
Once, I loosened my jeweled ornament, leaning close in shared warmth;
Tonight, only a chill hush remains.
Even though a lovely season still unfolds,
These days pass hollowly without you.
I stand by the railing,
Straining to see the ebbing tide in the distance.
I hardly feel the chill behind the curtain,
Yet my thoughts flow on like water.
In my dreams, music and laughter echo,
But I cannot convey my present ache.
I wonder when you’ll return—
Who understands these silent tears?
破阵乐(露花倒影)
露花倒影，
正疏雨、敲窗初歇。
小榭无人，淡月半轮，
桂子香浮寂夜。
解佩曾偎，
旧欢相对；
今夕但余萧瑟。
纵有佳时，
依旧年光虚设。
独倚阑干，
望断远潮依稀。
未觉帘幕垂寒，
只怜心事如水。
弦管梦中，
怅此情难寄。
试问归期，
谁识泪痕清泪？
【Literal English Rendering】
Po Zhen Le (Dew-Flower Reflections)
Beneath dew-laden blossoms whose reflections tremble,
A light shower taps at the window, then subsides.
In the small pavilion, no one lingers;
A pale half-moon drifts overhead,
The faint scent of cassia drifting through the silent night.
Once, I loosened my jeweled ornament, leaning close in shared warmth;
Tonight, only a chill hush remains.
Even though a lovely season still unfolds,
These days pass hollowly without you.
I stand by the railing,
Straining to see the ebbing tide in the distance.
I hardly feel the chill behind the curtain,
Yet my thoughts flow on like water.
In my dreams, music and laughter echo,
But I cannot convey my present ache.
I wonder when you’ll return—
Who understands these silent tears?
In this creative homage to Liu Yong, the poem is cast to the tune pattern “Po Zhen Le” (破阵乐). Although historically famous for martial or vigorous rhythms, ci composers often adapted such tune names for more introspective topics. Here, the poet focuses on an evening scene where dewdrops on flower petals mirror the speaker’s softly brimming emotions.
**Nighttime Imagery and Seasonal Hints**
The poem’s first lines conjure a late-night atmosphere infused with gentle rainfall and a half-lit moon. Dewy blossoms reflect their surroundings like tiny mirrors—an apt symbol for how nature can echo human feelings. The ambient scent of cassia (桂子) floating on the night air suggests an autumn setting, a traditional time of nostalgic reflection in Chinese poetry.
**Memories and Yearning**
In typical Liu Yong style, the speaker recalls a past moment of intimacy (“解佩曾偎”), now replaced by silence and loss. Even though the season could be considered beautiful (“纵有佳时”), it feels empty without a loved one’s presence. The tension between nature’s elegance and emotional desolation is a hallmark of Song ci.
**Structural Progression**
In the second stanza, the poet shifts from the courtyard’s quiet details to a personal vantage point at a railing—an often-used motif symbolizing anticipation. By tying the speaker’s thoughts to distant tides, the poem expands from the introspective confines of the pavilion to the broader world. Yet even this horizon fails to bring solace: the mind remains restless and unfulfilled, culminating in the lingering question of a postponed reunion.
**Emotional Underpinnings**
While outwardly poised, the speaker’s longing resonates through imagery of water (flowing thoughts, distant tide) and subtle references to tears. This interplay highlights Liu Yong’s skill in weaving everyday scenes into an emotional tapestry. What might be a serene evening for another becomes for the poet a stage on which memory and solitude meet.
**Literary Context**
The theme of longing amid autumn’s hush parallels other classic Song ci poems by Liu Yong, who excelled at portraying separation and nostalgia. Traditional motifs—moonlight, light rain, fading blossoms—serve not merely as ornaments but as anchors for the poet’s state of mind. The final unanswered question (“Who understands these silent tears?”) remains true to the Song ci custom of concluding on a note of unresolved yearning, inviting readers to fill the emotional space.
In sum, this reconstructed poem showcases how even a tune name associated with vigor (破阵乐) could be used for a quiet reflection in Liu Yong’s hands. The consistent interplay of hushed imagery and subdued heartache typifies the emotional subtlety that characterizes the Northern Song’s ci tradition, underscoring a single night’s scene as both personal memory and universal reflection on parting.
Key points
• Combines an autumnal setting (cassia fragrance, light rain, half-moon) with themes of separation.
• Uses water (dew, distant tide) as a metaphor for flowing emotions and ephemeral reflections.
• Captures Liu Yong’s trademark wistful longing and subtle musicality.
• Demonstrates how ci poetry unites natural details and intimate feelings without definitive closure.