Her brilliance tries to hide—but that is hard;
Her shadow ever graceful, her soul ever cold.
A fulling-block pounds—white for a thousand miles;
Half the moon remains when roosters crow the fifth watch.
A green rain-cloak on the river hears the autumn flute;
Red sleeves on the tower lean on the railing at night.
If Chang'e herself were moved to ask:
Why is there never an eternal full moon?
English titles, text, and notes are AI-assisted for reading only; for scholarship cite the Chinese and authoritative editions.
Annotation
This third moon poem came to Xiangling in a dream, and everyone praised it highly. 'A fulling-block pounds—white for a thousand miles; half the moon remains when roosters crow' is masterfully balanced with deep imagery. 'Why is there never an eternal full moon?' questions both the moon and her own tragic fate. This poem marks the true awakening of Xiangling's poetic talent.
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