Goodbye Again, Cambridge!

by Xu Zhimo

　　　　I leave softly, gently,
　　　　Exactly as I came.
　　　　I wave to the western sky,
　　　　Telling it goodbye softly, gently.

　　　　The golden willow at the river edge
　　　　Is the setting sun's bride.
　　　　Her quivering reflection
　　　　Stays fixed in my mind.
　　　　Green grass on the bank
　　　　Dances on a watery floor
　　　　In bright reflection.

　　　　I wish myself a bit of waterweed
　　　　Vibrating to the ripple.
　　　　Of the River Cam.
　　　　That creek in the shade of the great elms
　　　　Is not a creek but a shattered rainbow,
　　　　Printed on the water
　　　　And inlaid with duckweed,
　　　　It is my lost dream.

　　　　Hunting a dream?
　　　　Wielding a long punting pole
　　　　I get my boat into green water,
　　　　Into still greener grass.
　　　　In a flood of starlight
　　　　On a river of silver and diamond
　　　　I sing to my heart's content.

　　　　But now, no, I cannot sing
　　　　With farewell in my heart.
　　　　Farewells must be quiet, mute,
　　　　Even the summer insects are silent,
　　　　Knowing I am leaving.
　　　　The Cambridge night is soundless.

　　　　I leave quietly
　　　　As I came quietly.
　　　　I am leaving
　　　　Without taking so much
　　　　As a piece of cloud.
　　　　But with a quick jerk of my sleave
　　　　I wave goodbye.