声声慢·寻寻觅觅

——李清照

寻寻觅觅，冷冷清清，凄凄惨惨戚戚。乍暖还寒时候，最难将息。三杯两盏淡酒，怎敌他，晚来风急？雁过也，正伤心，却是旧时相识。

满地黄花堆积。憔悴损，如今有谁堪摘？守着窗儿，独自怎生得黑？梧桐更兼细雨，到黄昏，点点滴滴。这次第，怎一个愁字了得！

Mere Melancholy?

(to the tune of Sheng Sheng Man)

by Li Qingzhao (1084-about 1151)

Looking here and there,

For something I don't know what,

Enwrapped I am,

In loneliness, misery and sorrow!

In a season with abrupt changes of temperature,

It is hard to keep my health;

And a few cups of flat wine,

Won't ward off the evening chill.

A group of wild geese are passing by,

When I'm in my saddest mood,

Yet they are old acquaintances of mine.

Chrysanthemums are heaping up on the ground,

Who cares to pluck them in such wretched state?

Sitting along by the windows,

How can I while away the tedious hours to sunset?

Then, there comes the drizzle at dusk,

Dripping and dripping from broad leaves of tall trees.

Shall we take all these in a roar for mere melancholy?