[Poem] FLOWER, YET NOT A FLOWER - A Brief Reflection on Ephemeral Beauty

Bai Juyi’s short poem “Flower, Yet Not a Flower” offers a succinct meditation on the elusive nature of beauty and existence. Through simple yet paradoxical imagery—something that appears like a flower or a mist but is neither—he captures how quickly moments of loveliness (or enlightenment) can grace our lives and then vanish without warning. The poem’s brevity heightens its effect: the lines are minimal, yet charged with a sense of impermanence.

By comparing this fleeting vision to both a spring dream and the morning clouds, Bai Juyi underscores the impossibility of grasping that which is transitory. Dreams often dissolve upon waking, while drifting clouds slip away with the sun’s rise—neither can be held or pinned down. In the same manner, life’s most delicate or profound experiences elude possession.

Ultimately, this poem gently prompts us to recognize that many of our cherished encounters—whether with beauty, insight, or joy—may be as intangible as a flower that is not a flower. By accepting the fleeting nature of all things, we can learn to appreciate each moment of grace as it appears, without clinging to or lamenting its departure. In doing so, Bai Juyi presents a timeless reminder of how transience underpins the preciousness of every passing instant.