I found this song on Ishici under the author's name: 张衡. In creating this link on blogger, I noticed that the author's name was part of the web address; apparently words now have some kind of accepted set of http valence. In terms of the internationalization of the words, one reading experience I had concerned an Asian magazine I was reading that had an example of a page from a French dictionary book about words, the French commentary was so good, it talked about the word as though it were a friend, following along with how I had learned to read. When I write about Asian words, I always think of that French method, it goes so well with all the scholarship I have learned in the English language, and informs my reading so rewardingly.
At any rate, this song is about Suzyn Waldman from Newton. If you don't ever listen to Yankees baseball then it's about Rosie O'Donnell. Apparently mythic archetypes like John and Suzyn have been around forever. It would be appropriate for me to to add translations to the lines, but the topic matter is stodgy, tough and suprasentimental, like Suzyn. It's a very funny poem, though. It's from Ishici, a web resource with over 20,000 Chinese songs dating from ancient times to Hu Jin Tao times. This one is from sometime during one of the Han dynasties.
四愁诗 张衡
我所思兮在太山，My thought lies on a sacred mountain......
欲往从之梁父艰。
侧身东望涕沾翰。
美人赠我金错刀，
何以报之英琼瑶。
路远莫致倚逍遥，
何为怀忧心烦劳。
我所思兮在桂林，
欲往从之湘水深。
侧身南望涕沾襟。
美人赠我琴琅玕，
何以报之双玉盘。
路远莫致倚惆怅，
何为怀忧心烦怏。
我所思兮在汉阳，
欲往从之陇阪长。
侧身西望涕沾裳。
美人赠我貂襜褕，
何以报之明月珠。
路远莫致倚踟蹰，
何为怀忧心烦纡。
我所思兮在雁门，
欲往从之雪雰雰。
侧身北望涕沾巾。
美人赠我锦绣段，
何以报之青玉案。
路远莫致倚增叹，
何为怀忧心烦惋
Japanese T-shirt level translation attempt, which is appropriate for a sports context:
四愁诗 张衡 (my boyfriend's valor is like a lost sheep in autumn, by Ann Author)
我所思兮在太山，I am a building, zapping my family members with static electricity
欲往从之梁父艰。I am a valley of addresses on Long Island, sleeping through the filth of ages of boredom, going to a school built for chickens
侧身东望涕沾翰。I follow the rules of life - the schoolyard rules of life -- and my honor is built on the tears of 5-year old boys
美人赠我金错刀，I adore men like Liberace and Roger Clemens
何以报之英琼瑶。I never think of myself as ordinary, but my last name might as well be Jones.
路远莫致倚逍遥，Happy crazy gentle men are my social circle
何为怀忧心烦劳。I play the role of the workaholic ball buster, sports-dragoning artistic men like I'm flippin' burgers at McDonalds.
我所思兮在桂林，I am a building, pranking my family members when they are in the shower;
欲往从之湘水深。The valley of addresses is an amusement park
侧身南望涕沾襟。I follow the schoolyard rules of life and if you don't like rap, I'll punch you like Lucy Van Pelt
美人赠我琴琅玕，Beautiful men rock music include Yngwie, David Cassidy and Bay City Rollers
何以报之双玉盘。I read the paper to see how celebrity marriages are doing; it gives me heavy credibility
路远莫致倚惆怅 My male friends think I'm a conservative because I adore Lady Diana
何为怀忧心烦怏 I can be very insulting at times like this
我所思兮在汉阳，I am a building, I am as tough as a roughneck wilting in the sun
欲往从之陇阪长。The valley of addresses is, and always will, be, like the oeuvre of Billy Joel
侧身西望涕沾裳。Schoolyard rules regarding drugs and blackberry brandy, and Jagermeister, are the way we live
美人赠我貂襜褕，I adore the easily broken tame animal-man
何以报之明月珠。In the paper, something is about to happen - in Hollywood
路远莫致倚踟蹰，I am successful in interesting my male friends in sports, especially around playoff time;
何为怀忧心烦纡。Work can be so boring
我所思兮在雁门，I am a building in the valley of addresses
欲往从之雪雰雰。The valley is covered with light snow at 6 AM
侧身北望涕沾巾。The schoolyard is closed
美人赠我锦绣段，My male friends and I are listening to Barry Manilow til' Mom calls us for lunch
何以报之青玉案。I will be rarin' to go tomorrow
路远莫致倚增叹，I want to be an accountant
何为怀忧心烦惋 Or something.
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同声歌 张衡
邂逅承际会。得充君后房。情好新交接。恐{日栗}若探汤。不才勉自竭。贱妾职所当。绸缪主中馈。奉礼助蒸尝。
思为苑蒻席。在下蔽匡床。
愿为罗衾帱。在上卫风霜。洒扫清枕席。鞮芬以狄香。重户结金扃。高下华镫光。衣解巾粉御。列图陈枕张。素女为我师。仪态盈万方。
众夫所希见。天老教轩皇。乐莫斯夜乐。没齿焉可忘。
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To the other team:
歌 张衡
天地烟煴。百卉含蘤。鸣鹤交颈。雎鸠相和。处子怀春。精魂回移。如何淑明。忘我实多。Heaven and earth are made of tobacco. A blizzard keeps you fat and dumb like the fastest greens at the British Open. The crow is teaching you, the stork is protecting you, strange birds are beating you. Your sperm is returned to sender. Your women are baking a jalapeno pie and sex/marriage is just a drop in their bucket.
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To the home team: The author talks about the author.
歌 张衡
皇皇者凤。通玄知时。萃于山趾。与帝邀期。吉事有祥。惟汉之祺。The boss sells the wind. You're not in your hometown now, player. You might want to cultivate the female fans in order to get through this crunchtime. I write you up like gods. I mix current events into the commentary like Sunday morning. And I put the good folks to sleep.
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歌 张衡
惊雄逝兮孤雌翔。临归风兮思故乡。Frozen cold man power looking for another female fix. As a result we choose basketball over hockey this afternoon.
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At a loss for words?
叹 张衡
大火流兮草虫鸣。繁霜降兮草木零。秋为期兮时已征。思美人兮愁屏营。 A big fire destroyed the bugs, the birds have some questions about that. "We should clear away all the frost and snow that has accumulated in the woods. - Ha ha." Autumn is a very good thing that if one needs that explained one might not be so valiant.
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Precursor to a relationship.
歌 张衡
浩浩阳春发。杨柳何依依。百鸟自南归。翱翔萃我枝。Drip drop drip drop I want you. You: A poplar/willow w/great clothing, a hundred birds are emailing you wanting to fly away with you - and live on a branch.
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Three part poem about the first three sections of time of a relationship - if you wanted to marry the poet named Fatso. Fatso is actually probably not that fat. No woman no cry.
怨诗 其一 张衡
猗猗秋兰。植彼中阿。有馥其芳。有黄其葩。虽曰幽深。厥美弥嘉。之子之远。我劳如何。
-- The first week (or month), we would live in our new foxy autumn hideaway, bringing in the sheaves and splitting up some firewood. We would watch the bugs die. We would be so beautiful in each others eyes and we would sleep so soundly on a fortune of an entire winter that lies ahead. I would get a part time job, to boot.
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怨诗 其二 张衡
我闻其声。载坐载起。By the second week or month, we would be using each other like tools. In conversation, we would desperately cultivate the present time to arrive at the present time.
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怨诗 其三 张衡
同心离居。绝我中肠。By the third week, your balls would have to be registered as lethal weapons, and my body would be the color of cooked sausage.
I would go on and on with this, tx-ing some more poems and authors, but 1) it might seem repetitious and 2) a Columbia Asian Studies professor might pick an academic fight with me. I have bills to pay, anyway.
Thanks for reading.
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