Awakening

Moonlight graces the riverside tower, the night is far from over,
In dreams I wander, seeking beauty lost in the haze.
The jade flute echoes through the silken window screen,
Startling me awake with a chill upon my heart.

I recall the past, like flowing water through fleeting years,
So many feelings hard to measure.
I rise to sit alone, gazing at the long road ahead,
My thoughts adrift in the vastness.

The mortal world rolls on — we are all but guests,
When splendor fades, it leaves only wounds.
In the arena of fame and fortune, turmoil reigns,
How many can truly find peace?

Now I awaken, casting off worldly thoughts,
Forgetting fleeting fame.
A gentle breeze brushes my face, carrying faint fragrance,
And my mind slowly clears.

I remember those passionate years of youth,
Heroic dreams now weathered by time.
Drunk, I raised the lamp to examine my sword,
In dreams, the call of horns echoed through the camps.

Now awakened, I grasp life’s true meaning,
Smiling at both warmth and coldness.
I watch clouds rise and fall with ease,
Quietly observing flowers bloom and wither.

Thinking of the vastness of the world, I weep alone,
All earthly turmoil is but a dream —
Only awakening is the cure.
May I spend my remaining years among mountains and rivers,
Leisurely watching streams encircle villages.

With a pot of rustic wine, we laugh and meet with joy,
Countless tales from past to present —
All become cheerful talk in the end.

At the hour of awakening, the heart is like a polished mirror,
Untouched by dust or noise.
Letting go of obsession and entanglement,
Free to roam at will.

May true love fill every corner of the world,
May beauty remain ever constant.
From this moment, with no burdens in the heart,
Each step like a blooming lotus, I walk toward the land of light.

This poem is titled "Awakening", intended to express the insight of awakening in life.
The first part depicts the sudden awakening from a dream at night, filled with countless thoughts;
the second part reflects on the worldly dust — the troubles of life — and reveals a sense of enlightenment and a longing for a better future.
The poem is sincere in emotion and rich in imagery, encompassing remembrance and lament for the past, awakening and transcendence in the present, and hope and aspiration for the future.
May readers find within it the true essence of life and embark on a journey toward spiritual awakening and inner freedom.