An Autumn Night’s Letter to Qiu, the Twenty-Second Official - Wei Yingwu
/秋夜寄邱二十二员外 - 韦应物/
Lingering Thoughts Beneath the Quiet Autumn Sky
秋夜寄邱二十二员外
An Autumn Night’s Letter to Qiu, the Twenty-Second Official
怀君属秋夜
In this autumn night, my thoughts dwell on you
散步咏凉天
Strolling about, singing softly to the crisp heavens
空山松子落
Deep in the empty hills, pine cones fall
幽人应未眠
A solitary figure—surely still awake
In this succinct poem, Wei Yingwu captures the fleeting yet deeply felt sense of companionship and longing that arises on an autumn night. Despite being physically apart from Qiu, the poet’s friend and correspondent, Wei Yingwu evokes an emotional closeness through understated imagery. The evening’s coolness, paired with a solitary stroll, sets the stage for meditative thought. He imagines the quiet realm of nature—an empty mountain where pine cones drop, emphasizing both the hush of the setting and the poet’s inner awareness.
The poem revolves around the theme of distant friendship and seasonal introspection. Autumn, a season of transition, often prompts reflection on what is passing and what remains. The crisp air and falling pine cones point to the transience of all things, while the poet’s wandering mind lingers on a faraway companion. Even so, there is comfort in believing another “solitary figure” is also awake—someone who might share his late-night reveries.
In four lines, Wei Yingwu distills an entire atmosphere of gentle melancholy: the sense that although two friends are separated, they can momentarily connect under the same sky through mutual thought. His poetic approach underscores how short verses can still carry a wealth of emotion, demonstrating that what is not explicitly stated—longer elaborations of sorrow or longing—can resonate more powerfully when left implied. Through subtle details, he brings to life the universal experience of missing someone when darkness falls and quiet envelops the world. Ultimately, the poem is both an ode to friendship and a testament to autumn’s capacity for stirring reflection.
Key points
• Autumn’s natural shifts prompt introspection, especially regarding distant friendships.
• Quiet scenes—like a fall of pine cones in the empty hills—amplify a sense of gentle melancholy.
• Concise poetic imagery can evoke profound emotional resonance, emphasizing that empathy and connection transcend physical distance.