It expresses the poet's melancholy and regretful feelings about the passing of time.
Original text:
Treading on the Shasha
Yan Shu
The paths are red and sparse, and the suburbs are full of green. The trees on the high platform are somber in color. The spring breeze cannot lift the poplar flowers, and they flutter in the faces of passers-by.
The orioles are hidden in the green leaves, and the swallows are separated by the bead curtain. The incense in the furnace slowly turns on the gossamer. When I woke up from a sad dream, the setting sun shone deep in the courtyard.
Translation:
The red flowers on the side of the road are becoming increasingly scarce, but the countryside is covered with luxuriant grass, and tall buildings and pavilions are looming in the shade. The spring breeze doesn't know how to control the poplars and catkins, letting them flutter around people's faces.
There are orioles hidden in the green leaves, the red curtains keep the swallows out, and the quiet incense curls up like a gossamer. When I woke up from a sad dream after being drunk, the setting sun was slanting on the deep courtyard.