Nostalgia on the Seventh Day of the Year's First Month

Rén Rì Sī Guī
人 日 思 归
(隋) 薛道衡
rù chūn cái qī rì
入 春 才七日，
Lí jiā yǐ èr nián
离 家 已二 年。
rén guī luò yàn hòu
人 归 落 雁 后，
sī fā zài huā qián
思发 在 花 前。
Nostalgia on the Seventh Day of the Year's First Month
(Sui) Xue Daoheng
There are but seven days past since set in spring,
And for two long years have I wandered away from home.
Still I must tarry here until the wild geese are gone,
And yearn for my home till the trees are in bloom.
Comment
The short verse starts with the message that he just passed the New Year
Day(the Spring Festival) in a strange place and that it is already two years
since he left home. Shouldn’t he miss his family? He wishes to return home
before spring flowers open, but for a variety of reasons, he will probably not set
off on his home trip until wild geese begin to fly north from southern China. The
poem vividly conveys nostalgia of those who live far away from home.
诗文赏析
人日：古代相传农历正月初一为鸡日，初二为狗日，初三为猪日，初四为羊日，
初五为牛日，初六为马日，初七为人日。
诗句一开始就告诉我们，诗人是在异地他乡辞旧岁、迎新年、过新春的。所以时
跨两年，吟出“离家已二年”的诗句。诗人怎么会不想家呢？他在春花开放前就
有了归家的念头，但是因为种种原因，真正能够动身回乡，可能要在南雁北归的
日子以后了。诗歌写出了远在他乡的人时刻都想回家的心愿。