Romancing Snow (雙語）

五絕：冬旅

 

春遙雪路長

眉冷任風揚

散髮飄衣袂

懷梅獨步香

 

(平水韻下平七陽）

 

——颺

 

In this short poem of mine, I am making my way to spring which is still out of sight. Winter is with me definitely, and so is a plum blossom. I may be alone, but I am not lonely. How can I be lonely if I keep a plum blossom close to my heart?

 

Did I mention that winter is with me? Actually, winter was with me, big time. Back then, I dated a Chicago girl, now my fiancée who likes to be called a plum blossom in Chinese.

 

It was a January day of all days. I had the audacity to invite my new date to a winter walk on Chicago’s Lakefront of all places. That would impress her, I believed, if she knew how much I was eager to take on the notorious winter of her hometown -- for her. She’d better give a serious guy a serious chance. 

 

Indeed, she was impressed, although a hint of doubt did make her brows knit for a few seconds: “Are you sure about that?” I nodded, smiling or grinning.

 

In summer, it’s easy enough to cover the walking distance between Grant Park (our starting point) and the Navy Pier (our destination) in a breeze.  On that snowy winter day, however, the temperature was free-falling.  I wasn’t even sure I had bundled myself up against the biting cold.

 

No surrender to Chicago or North Pole.

 

Suddenly, my new date waved her hands.  A rolling Navy Pier trolley stopped for us. 

 

Snow drifted by outside when she pointed me to this and that landmarks on our well-covered trolley trip. I had never been so quiet, listening to a caressing voice. 

 

 

 

 

 

卜算子：遇

 

不必問前生

早在前生見

回首江南細雪飄

紅傘羞羞轉

 

泥許印緣深

路許春迎麵

來世天涯半醒時

半夢今生戀

 

韻：詞林正韻第七部去聲

譜：龍榆生「卜算子」定格

 

—— 颺