The Ancient Prairie--Farewell to My Friend

Bai Juyi (Tang)

The prairie overflows with the grass' s rolling billows,

As the year comes and goes, it withers and grows.

The wild fire can never bum it out of view,

When the vernal breeze arises, it appears anew.

Its balmy odors drifts across the path time-worn,

Its luster of green extends to the town forlorn.

Again as I see my friend along the road depart,

I feel the grass is deep in sorrow as is my heart.

Comment

Through the vivid description of the age-old, verdant prairie, the poet pictures the sad parting with his friend. The first four brilliant lines eulogize the great vitality of the wild grasses. The line "The wild fire can never burn it out of view, when the vernal breeze arises, it appears anew", though simple and plain, is indeed philosophical and invigorating, and has been famous and enduring throughout the ages. The next four lines delineate the rampancy of the wild grasses not only covering the time-worn path but also linking the two towns standing far apart. Finally the poem points to the lingering sadness at the farewell. It is due to their sorrowful parting that the grasses in the spring sun look sad, too. Oh, the growing and withering of grass is similar to human meeting and parting company, and they are mingled together in the poem to form a scene that always touches the heart.