The meaning of these four sentences is that when we get together, we feel like glue, but when we say goodbye, we feel like we are heartless. We only feel that we want to laugh at the banquet, but we can't laugh out loud. If the candle on the desk has a heart, it will also say goodbye. You see, it will shed tears for us until dawn.
It comes from the second poem of "Two Farewell Poems" by Du Mu, a poet of the Tang Dynasty.
Original text:
Sentimental but always seeming ruthless, I can’t laugh in front of the bottle.
Candles say farewell with intention and shed tears for others until dawn.
Extended information
Creative background
This poem was written by the poet Du Mu in the ninth year of Yamato (835), when he was promoted from the Secretary of the Huainan Jiedu Envoy to the Supervisor. Shi, left Yangzhou for Chang'an, and parted ways with the singing girls he met in Yangzhou.
Poem Appreciation
This poem focuses on farewell, describing the inseparable feelings at the banquet with her.
The first sentence is about being depressed and speechless at the banquet, which seems to be cold and heartless; the second sentence uses "laughing" to point out that it is not heartless, but depressed and sentimental, which is actually sentimental, echoing the first sentence.
The poet cannot bear to separate from his loved one, but has to separate. His feelings are complicated. "Sentimental but always ruthless", it is obviously sentimental, but it is written with the word "merciless", and the word "general" strengthens the tone and has a strong emotional color. At the farewell party, they looked at each other sadly, as if they were heartless to each other. The more passionate you are, the more ruthless you appear.
"I can only laugh in front of the bottle". To write about the sorrow of parting, I start with the word "laughing". The word "WEI" shows how much the poet wants to face his lover, raise a bottle to say goodbye, force a smile, and make the one he loves happy! But because of the sentimental farewell, I couldn't squeeze out a smile. This seemingly contradictory description of moods expresses the poet's true inner feelings in a tactful and emotional way.
However, the poet put aside himself and wrote about the burning candle at the farewell party, borrowing objects to express his emotions. The poet looks at the world around him with an extremely sentimental mood, so everything in his eyes is tinged with sentimentality. In the eyes of the poet, the candle wick has become a feeling of "farewell", personifying the candle. In the eyes of the poet, the candle tears that overflowed all night long were sad for the separation of the host and hostess.
"Weeping for others until dawn", the word "for others" makes the meaning deeper. "Until dawn" also points out the length of the farewell feast, which is also a manifestation of the poet's unbearable separation.