I moored my little awning-covered boat beneath an old tree’s shade and, leaning on a goosefoot-wood staff, walked east across the bridge. The fine rain of apricot-blossom season seemed about to dampen my clothes, while the spring breeze brushing the willows touched my face with no lingering chill.

短篷: the canopy of a small boat, used to refer to the boat itself. 杖藜: a walking stick made of goosefoot wood. 扶我: “supports me,” personifying the staff as an affectionate companion.

杏花雨: spring rain when apricot blossoms bloom. 杨柳风: spring wind when willow branches unfurl. 欲湿: on the verge of dampening, describing the rain's fineness.

Reading guide: This quatrain captures a moment when the poet leaves his boat to walk, feeling the spring breeze and rain. Person, route, and touch unfold in sequence; finally, flowers and trees give their names to wind and rain, bringing the season's character and bodily sensation together.

There is little action in the first two lines, yet they clearly mark the transition from quiet mooring to strolling. “杖藜扶我”—“my goosefoot staff supports me”—reverses the usual phrasing, making the walking stick seem like an affectionate companion.

The final two lines do not seek brilliance through rich colors, but describe small sensations: clothing about to grow damp, a face that feels no chill. Spring's gentleness can thus be felt directly through the body, with a restraint that tempers its brightness.