Increased learning

Reply to Mr. Kong

With surprise and gratitude, received a poem from upperclassman
For a long time lacked interest [in poetry], then opened your letter. 
Before poetry club becomes a distant memory
Today's brick will draw out others' jade.
I submit to you three or five old written poems
And respectfully request your edits and corrections for my edification.
In the future, one of these days, if I write a new poem
I'll ask for more refining and polishing.

- we assume he's a friend from the Chicago poetry club
- There's a Chinese saying that first a brick is set forth, and it draws out the jade. It's impolite to say your own poem is good. So you say of your own writing, oh, it's just the brick first tossed out that drew forth jade. You show respect and deference by asking other writers to give comments and suggestions. 
- the word for upper in upperclassman is the same as edification (increased learning)
- Jade needs refining and shaping


SS Conte Verde

Sound of drums
Take a stroll
Came to look at the river's scenery
Across river middle
In pagoda shadow
A huge ship, tons of metal walls
Jade carved many levels
Gold cast ship decks
Waves rock the boat like silver snow
A palace on the sea
Rumbling exclamations about Rome's wonder
No one imagined an attack on this dictator
In power for twenty years
Overthrown in one day
Bad news via telegram
Express loyalty and patriotism
Self bored Jade Mountain split apart
Following righteousness, courageous and determined
Sigh about their sacrifice and fidelity
Little room for asking questions 
Pushed and pulled not moved
Deep into the night remaining image in the moonlit river

A big famous Italian luxury cruise ship called Kangtifude, 30,000 tons. During WWII the Italians used this ship to carry many people to Asia. Since Italy was an Axis power, the ship ported at (Japanese-controlled) Shanghai. The Italians had a coup to overthrow Mussolini who had been dictator for twenty years. He was put in jail. Another power Bateliyao (Badoglio) declared war against Japan and Germany. This boat became an enemy of Japan, so the ship's captain received a telegram with the news, and, within 35 minutes, they decided to not to let the Japanese gain access to the ship, so they sank it with the crew on board. Because the river wasn't deep enough, two-thirds of the ship remained above the water line. The Japanese used a huge amount of money to recover the ship. They used cables hooked to big buildings lining the waterfront and cranes, and worked for several months. But they couldn't recover it and let it sit in the middle of the water for a long time. People would walk around, feeling sad for the Italian patriots. So I wrote a poem about it. 

- This is the first time translating a ci2 a pre-set lyrical form with lines of differing lengths. Sudongbuo form.
- http://www.rickshaw.org/ships_that_brought_us.htm
- http://www.rickshaw.org/sinking.htm
- voluntary, determined, and willing [to die for one's country] (this word is my last name), following righteousness
- another reason I'm sure I'll love Shanghai

Cold

On a snowy stormy night

1. 
Cold night rain snow blowing blustery eve
Happen upon a sorrowful person who cannot dream
The past is water, long flowed by
How can you bear tracing back your old feelings?

2. 
A person's feelings actually deceive one's self
Young spring's short stay is hard to grasp
In the blink of an eye time leaps away
Cannot know when you'll again return to old dreams

- young spring is a metaphor for youth 


Year's end

This year end has come,
Outside person so far away.
Head board gold already gone,
Case bottom sword now gray.
Rain drizzling very cold spring,
Way long road muddy loam.
When'll land have order, peace?
Ragged clothes yet think: home.  

- outside person is the one at war or at work or a student, anyone who has left home
- head board is where Chinese traditionally kept money (like 'under the mattress')
- the usual saying is: when your clothes are nice, you think of going home

15, 60, and 30 years

The facts about my marriage and the road of my life

Fighting birds become a happy couple
Flee from war westward to Sichuan
After victory return to hometown
Run away from the red plague
On the island of Taiwan, our hands were rend 
Peaceful living for fifteen years 
Follow my children traveling America
Whole life experienced all kinds of things
Ruddy complexion changes to white hair
Old age no desires or pursuits
Waiting for the heavenly land
I arrived to the Yung family sixty autumns ago
When youth becomes aged, what do you still want?
Time after time, the whole night often think back
Remembering those years and cry streams of tears
Reading Buddha studying scripture to prevent suffocating
Cultivate heart tend heart don't chase dreams


A hundred words on Hatong

Jewish nation disintegrated
Their people covered in dark dust
  Most pitiful person Hatong
  Nothing else but his self
Wandered the eastern sea to Shanghai
Songhu was a deserted village
  New growing commercial shipping port
  Poor sick work as sentry guard
Bought cheap waterfront land
Without much thought he purchased
  Thirty years later, a thriving city
  An inch of land becomes an inch of gold
One day his wealth exceeds a nation's
Fancy buildings called Jialing
  He didn't plan to retain his wealth
  Eagles dogs lawlessly attack
Developed nice Hatong Road
Deserted empty Aili Garden
  Our lives are like springtime dreams
  This one left a trace 

The Jewish people didn't have a country, so they wandered around. Hatong was of Jewish decent. When Hatong first came to Shanghai, it was a desolate fishing village. He was very poor and sick. He became a door guard for a foreign company. After some time, he bought a lot of land at a low price. Later, the land value increased and he became a millionaire. He married a Chinese woman named Jialing and named many buildings after his wife. He became an influential developer and philanthropist. Hatong Road was a nice part of town. 

Notes:
Songhu is an older name for Shanghai.
Aili (loving couple) Garden was the nicest garden in Shanghai for a while, then was neglected.
The usual saying is that spring dreams leave no trace.