When you are old, gray-haired and sleepy,
Take a nap by the fire, please write down this poem.
Read slowly and recall the tenderness of your eyes in the past.
Recall the heavy shadows of their past;
How many people love you when you are young and happy,
Worship your beauty, hypocrisy or sincerity,
Only one person loves your pilgrim soul,
Love the painful wrinkles on your aging face;
I hung my head, by the red fire,
Whispering sadly about the passing of love,
On the mountain overhead, it walked slowly.
A face is hidden among a group of stars.
(translated by Yuan Kejia)
Life is less than one hundred, and the years are fleeting. Who doesn't want himself and his lover to be as beautiful and full of youthful vitality as the morning glow? This is also the routine of most love poems, but Ye Zhi's When You Are Old avoids this routine, which is unique and refreshing.
This love poem was written in 1893, when Ye Zhi was 29 years old. Five years ago, the poet met the famous Irish actress Mod Gong. Since then, Ye Zhi has been deeply in love with her, but she has always been rejected. Interestingly, his unfortunate love experience led to his lucky creation. Many poems were written in her name, and Modgong became the source of the poet's creation. Maud Gong loved Irish independence and fought for it all his life, which also influenced Ye Zhi's creation.
The author suddenly started writing, without any preparation. Imagine that at some time, you are old and bored. Please "write down this poem", remember the past while reading, and recall the joys and sorrows of the past. The old man lives in memories, and the author's writing method conforms to the thinking habit of lyric objects.
Youth, every look back, every smile, will arouse endless love tide. There is nothing you can do about the shadow of the jackal. It is inevitable that you will take part in accidental amusement, and the fake is also true and false. But in the vast sea of people, there is always someone who loves your noble soul and unruly head, whether you are in the prime of life or in your twilight years. "Only one person loves your pilgrim's soul/the painful wrinkles on your aging face", what a shocking and soul-stirring love confession! Bold and enthusiastic, sincere and emotional, rich and unique, so that readers are moved and vulgar lovers are eclipsed. Emphasize the word "only", the depth of love is unforgettable. Instead of praising the young and beautiful person he loved, he concentrated on describing her beautiful hair, sleepy thoughts and painful wrinkles. The poet avoided familiarity, won the danger by surprise attack, and achieved excellent artistic effect.
At the end, the poet took care of the beginning and went back to the beginning of "Old" in chronological order, and the place was "Fireside". The sentence "Tell the passing of love sadly and tenderly" contains the connotation of the whole poem, leaving a footnote and setting the tone of the whole poem. The tone of the poem is slow, revealing sadness in sadness and helplessness in implication. It conforms to the poet's unique emotional psychology as a unrequited lover. At the end of the two sentences, imagine that the lost love also "walks slowly" like an old man, hiding his face in the stars. Vaguely pointed out the mystery and perishable nature of love, and Ye Zhi had already revealed the sprout of his symbolic creation in his creation during this period. The ending is meaningful.
Throughout the poem, such as the poet's heart-to-heart talk and expression to friends around the stove, it is kind and touching. The tone of the poem is sad and touching, but there is no lack of warmth. It's really a touching poem. (Yu Changxin)