Trimming the Lampwick

[Intro]

[Verse 1]

A warm rain begins to fall

The frozen earth loosens more each day

The wind has turned warm too

Making the window paper hum in the breeze

In weather this fine

Who would still be content to stay cooped up indoors

[Pre-Chorus]

Willow buds are like sleepy eyes rubbed open

The plum blossoms look as though they've brushed on rouge

[Chorus]

暖雨晴风初破冻 — Warm rain and fair-weather breezes begin to break the frost

柳眼梅腮，已觉春心动 — Willow-bud eyes and plum-blossom cheeks, already I feel the heart of spring stir

酒意诗情谁与共 (With whom can I share the glow of wine and the stirrings of poetry)

泪融残粉花钿重 (Tears melt the remaining face powder, and the floral forehead ornament feels heavy)

独抱浓愁无好梦 — Alone with deep sorrow, I find no pleasant dreams

夜阑犹剪灯花弄 — Deep into the night, still idly trimming the lamp's flowering wick

[Verse 2]

The poetry in my heart awakens

The wine too warms on the stove, its fragrance rich

I lift my head and look around the room

Only my shadow clinks cups with me

I swallow back the words I meant to write

The brush is laid down, only wind remains on the paper

[Pre-Chorus]

I touched up my makeup in the mirror

One tear falls, and all that makeup goes to waste again

[Chorus]

暖雨晴风初破冻 — Warm rain and fair-weather breezes begin to break the frost

柳眼梅腮，已觉春心动 — Willow-bud eyes and plum-blossom cheeks, already I feel the heart of spring stir

酒意诗情谁与共 (With whom can I share the glow of wine and the stirrings of poetry)

泪融残粉花钿重 (Tears melt the remaining face powder, and the floral forehead ornament feels heavy)

独抱浓愁无好梦 — Alone with deep sorrow, I find no pleasant dreams

夜阑犹剪灯花弄 — Deep into the night, still idly trimming the lamp's flowering wick

[Instrumental]

[Verse 3]

I pull out last year's lined jacket

The gold-thread stitches still hold their quiet grace

I try putting it on

The person in the mirror is thin and indistinct

I lean sideways against the mountain-shaped pillow

The pillow tilted the phoenix hairpin in my hair

[Bridge]

What color is sorrow

Perhaps it is the darkest kind, beneath the lamp

Holding it, I want to drift to sleep

Yet it hollows out my sweet dreams one by one

At last I manage to fall asleep

Just as I speak in the dream, I wake in the fourth night watch

I might as well stay awake

Trim the lamp wick again and again, waiting for dawn

[Verse 4]

I have trimmed the lamp wick three times

The trimmed wick falls onto the table, like a little heap of red velvet

Spring is just outside the window

Yet my thoughts are still passing through winter

Nor am I in a hurry to let it melt

Waiting for a pair of warm hands, to cradle it gently

[Final Chorus]

暖雨晴风初破冻 — Warm rain and fair-weather breezes begin to break the frost

柳眼梅腮，已觉春心动 — Willow-bud eyes and plum-blossom cheeks, already I feel the heart of spring stir

酒意诗情谁与共 (With whom can I share the glow of wine and the stirrings of poetry)

泪融残粉花钿重 (Tears melt the remaining face powder, and the floral forehead ornament feels heavy)

独抱浓愁无好梦 — Alone with deep sorrow, I find no pleasant dreams

夜阑犹剪灯花弄 — Deep into the night, still idly trimming the lamp's flowering wick

[Outro]

As dawn draws near

Another tiny rainbow spark bursts from the lamp's wick