Translated and introduced by Kaelyn Lowmaster, with John A. Crespi
(1) Introduction
(2) Translations of three essays by Y. R. Chao
(3) Audio recordings of three musical pieces
(from the Songbook with Chinese and English lyrics)
MCLC Resource Center (Copyright April 2009)
Cover of original 1928 New Poetry Songbook, by Y. R. Chao
Three Poems from New Poetry Songbook: Chinese, English
Translation, and Audio Recordings
Performances by Kaelyn Lowmaster
English Translations by John Crespi
《他》
－胡适
你心里爱他，莫说不爱他。
要看你爱他，且等人害他。
倘有人害他，你如何对他？
倘有人爱他，更如何待他？
Her
– Hu Shi
In your heart you love her, don’t say it’s not true.
To see how you love her, wait till she’s abused.
If someone abused her, then what would you do?
And if someone else loved her, how would you stay true?
《听雨》
－刘半农
我来北地将半年，
今日初听一宵雨。
若移此雨在江南，
故园新笋添几许。
Listening to the Rain
– Liu Bannong
On six months now since I came North——
tonight’s the first time I’ve heard evening rain
Take the rain south, south past the River——
see the new bamboo pushing up round my home
《上山》
－胡适
「努力，努力，努力望上跑！」
我头也不回，汗也不揩，
拚命地爬上山去。
「半山了，努力，努力望上跑！」
上面已没有路，
我手攀著石上的青藤，
脚尖抵住岩石缝里的小树，
一步一步地爬上山去。
「小心点， 小心点， 小心点，
努力！努力望上跑！」
树桩扯破了我的衫袖，
荆棘刺伤了我的双手，
我好容易打开了一条小路
爬上山去。
「好了，好了，上面就是平路了。
努力，努力，努力望上跑！」
上面果然是平坦的路，
有好看的野花，
有遮阴的老树；
但是我可倦了，
衣服都被汗湿遍了，
四肢都觉软了。
我在树下睡倒，
闻著那扑鼻的草香，
便昏昏沉沉地睡了一觉。
睡醒来时，天已黑了，
路已行不得了，
「努力」的喊声也灭了。。。。
猛省，猛省！
我且坐到天明，
明天绝早跑到最高峰，
去看那日出的奇景。
Climbing the Mountain
– Hu Shi
“Strive, strive, strive to run to the top!”
I don’t look back, don’t mop my brow,
but climb the mountain with all my might.
“Halfway there! Strive, strive to run to the top!”
No more path ahead,
I grasp vines to pull myself over rocks.
Saplings in rocky clefts are my toeholds,
Step by step I climb the mountain.
“Take care, take care, take care!
Strive! Strive to run to the top!”
Tree trunks shred my sleeves,
Brambles stab my hands.
It’s not easy to push my way through
and climb the mountain.
“Hooray! The path above is smooth.
Strive, strive, strive to run to the top!”
Yes, the path above is smooth,
With beautiful wildflowers
And shady old trees;
But I am so weary,
My clothes soaked with sweat,
My arms and legs gone limp.
I collapse into sleep below a tree.
The scent of grass in my nostrils,
I drop into thick, dull sleep.
When consciousness returns the sky is dark.
I can go no further on the path,
The cry to “strive” falls silent, too . . . .
I awake with a start!
I have slept till the dawn.
On this morrow I shall reach the summit early,
And see the marvelous sunrise.
– Poems translated by John A. Crespi