Happy Mother’s Day

慈母手中線, 遊子身上衣。

My loving mother stretches a needle and thread in her hand.

She is making clothes for her departing son.

臨行密密縫，意恐遲遲歸。

Stitch by stitch, she sews them very tightly,

Fearing that her son will not be back for a long time.

誰言寸草心，報得三春暉。

How could the grateful humble inch-tall grass

Ever repay the nurturing Spring Sun.

Mèng Jiāo (孟郊)(751—814) also known as Mèng Dōng Yě (孟東野) was a scholar and a poet. He was a native of Hú Hōu (湖州) (now Zhè Jiāng 浙江). Mèng suffered from lots of hardship and he did not succeed in his imperial Chin-shih examination (登進士第) until the late age of 46 and been a small official.

Little young grass grows toward the warm spring sunlight. Mother’s love is like the Spring Sun, warm and comfortable but not violently hot. Nothing can repay the love of our mothers. The 42 words poem does not contain the word ‘tears’ but it is deeply moving. It conveys strong emotions.

Further readings :

http://www.baike.com/wiki/%E6%85%88%E6%AF%8D%E6%89%8B%E4%B8%AD%E7%BA%BF (慈母手中线)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meng_Jiao

Happy Mother’s Day