Falling Petals by Li Shangyin

The guests are gone from the pavilion high,
In the small garden flowers are whirling around.
Along the winding path the petals lie;
To greet the setting sun, they drift up from the ground.

Heartbroken, I cannot bear to sweep them away;
From my eyes, spring soon disappears.
I pine with passing, heart’s desire lost for aye;
Nothing is left but a robe stained with tears

From: https://web.cn.edu/kwheeler/chinese_poetry_petals.html

Date: 9^th century (original); 1937 (translation)

By: Li Shangyin (c813-858)

Translated by: Arthur David Schloss Waley (1889-1966)