Love
Together We Know Happiness
Translated by Florence Ayscough and Amy Lowell (1921) · From Fir-Flower Tablets (1921)
Silent and alone, I ascended the West Cupola.
The moon was like a golden hook.
In the quiet, empty, inner courtyard, the coolness of early Autumn enveloped the wu-t'ung tree.
Scissors cannot cut this thing;
Unravelled, it joins again and clings.
It is the sorrow of separation,
And none other tastes to the heart like this.
Codex Note
In the book: "Written by a descendant of the founder of the Southern T'ang dynasty" (circa A.D. 960); the editor identifies the writer as Li Yu, last ruler of the Southern T'ang.
Cite this poem
MLA
Yu, Li. “Together We Know Happiness.” Translated by Florence Ayscough and Amy Lowell. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/li-yu/0/.
Chicago
Yu, Li. “Together We Know Happiness.” Translated by Florence Ayscough and Amy Lowell. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/li-yu/0/.