PARTING

White clouds sail across the sky but no birds want to fly
The stream has been laughing but friends must say goodbye

Autumn leaves fall in sorrow; falling to winter’s coming
The earth sleeps silent, waiting to greet the smile of spring

The bamboo seeks the sky; sets its hopes so high
The willow bends and sighs, only the river hears it cry

The wind knows the bamboo, softly its praises whistling
The river hears the willow, gurgles to its sighing

Two scholars searching the path to knowledge…
Two friends bowing to each other with deep affinity… three autumns…

Three autumns: each one lovelier than the last.
Under the moon, we set brush to paper,
composed poems to windsong and zither,
raised cups together as friends and brothers.

Too soon the years have flown…
we’ve filled our hearts with laughter,
forgetting that this day will come…
now duty has come calling, and return you must…

Too deep our affection has grown…
and now parting brings us sorrow,
wishing there should be no tomorrow.

[Excerpt from LIANG ZHU. Full script at dream2play.blogspot.com]