Poem: 凉州词 LiángZhōu Poem

 Liángzhōu Cí
凉州词
Wáng Zhīhuàn (Táng)
王之涣（唐）
Huáng Hé yuǎn shàng báiyún jiān,
黄河远上白云间，
yí piàn gū chéng wàn rèn shān.
一片孤城万仞山。
Qiāngdí héxū yuàn yángliǔ,
羌笛何须怨杨柳，
chūnfēng bú dù Yùmén Guān.
春风不度玉门关。

诗词评析：
“凉州”包含今天甘肃、宁夏和青海、内蒙部分地区，是当时的北部边疆。“孤城”指戍守边疆的城堡。“仞”是古代的长度单位。“羌笛”是唐代西北少数民族羌族的一种乐器。“杨柳”指古时一支名叫《折杨柳》的乐曲。
黄河仿佛一条带子飞挂在天边的白云之间，一座戍守边疆的城堡孤零零地坐落在万仞高的群山之中。羌笛吹起了感伤离别的《折杨柳》，何苦要吹奏这哀怨的曲调呢，要知道连春风也吹不到这玉门关外来呀。
这首诗描绘了戍守边疆的边防将士们的处境，以及他们思念故乡、思念亲人又不能回家的悲凉心情。
evaluation
"凉州(liángzhōu)" was the northern border area in the past, covering the provinces of today's Gansu, Ningxia, Qinghai and a part of the Inner Mongolia. "孤城(gūchéng) (meaning the lonely castle in English)" refers to the castle functioning as border defense. "仞(rèn)" is an ancient measure unit of length. "羌笛(qiāngdí)" was a kind musical instrument of the Qiang People, a ethnic minority group in the northwestern area in the Tang Dynasty. "杨柳(yángliǔ)" refers to a piece of music called "折杨柳(zhéyángliǔ)(literally meaning breaking off the willow branches)" in the ancient time.
The Yellow River seems like a flying ribbon hung between the clouds in the sky. A castle defending the borders stood lonely over the towering high mountains. The song of Breaking Off the Willow Branches is flowing out of the Qiang flute, arousing our grief of parting. Why should we bother to play such a sad melody? We have to know that even the spring wind could not reach these places outside the Yu Meng Gate, let alone a green willow branch seen here.
The poet depicts the soldiers defending the borders and their yearning for their hometowns and relatives.

Explanations
边疆(biān jiāng) ： border, frontier(n.)
戍守(shù shǒu) ：to defend, guard (the border) (v.)
乐器(lè qì) ： musical instrument (n. )
城堡(chéng bǎo)： castle (n. )
吹奏(chuí zòu) ：to play(wind instruments)(v. )
思念(sī niàn)：to miss (v. )
悲凉(bēi liáng) ： sad, grievous (adj. )