Magnolia, a Chinese Poem

作者：睦石 (Author: Mu Shi)
朝代：明朝 (Dynasty: Ming Dynasty)

玉兰原文：Original Magnolia

霓裳片片晚妆新，束素亭亭玉殿春。
已向丹霞生浅晕，故将清露作芳尘。

Pinyin:
ní shang piàn piàn wǎn zhuāng xīn ，shù sù tíng tíng yù diàn chūn 。
yǐ xiàng dān xiá shēng qiǎn yūn ，gù jiāng qīng lù zuò fāng chén 。


一片片花瓣犹如飘拂轻柔的舞衣，
颜色像新装扮的晚宴妆容，
细细的枝桠像女子纤细的腰肢。
花瓣的颜色由浅至深，
已近凋落，
落花上沾染了清晨的露水。

Magnolia

Your petals pretty and light
Like the evening makeup fresh and bright

Your twigs and branches slim and slender
Like girls waists graceful and tender

Your pink petals of various shades
falling and drifting at its own pace

Hugged and kissed by morning dew
Like Spring embracing you

Poetic translation by Lifang Yan