Tang Dynasty
采莲曲
菱叶萦波荷飐风，荷花深处小船通。
逢郎欲语低头笑，碧玉搔头落水中。
Translation
Water-chestnut leaves curl with the ripples, lotus leaves flutter in the wind; small boats pass through the depths of lotus flowers. A lotus-picking girl meets her beloved and wants to speak, but lowers her head and smiles; her jade hairpin slips into the water.
Analysis
This short poem captures a single lively moment in a lotus-picking scene. The first couplet creates a bright waterside setting: leaves curl with ripples, lotus leaves flutter in the wind, and small boats move through the flowers. The scene is full of gentle motion. The second couplet turns to the girl. She meets her beloved and wants to speak, but instead lowers her head and smiles. Bai Juyi does not tell us abstractly that she is shy; he lets her gesture reveal it. The falling jade hairpin is the poem’s most vivid detail. It makes the emotion visible: surprise, embarrassment, affection, and youthful charm all appear in one small accident. The poem’s beauty lies in its restraint. It does not elaborate on love; it lets a moment speak. Through simple language and precise movement, Bai Juyi creates a scene that is fresh, human, and memorable.
About the Author
Bai Juyi was a major Tang poet known for clear language, emotional accessibility, and attention to real life. While he is famous for socially engaged poems and long narrative works, he also wrote delicate short poems that capture everyday scenes and human feeling. “Lotus-Picking Song” shows his gift for simple, vivid detail and his ability to turn a small moment into lasting poetry.