《水调歌头》

This being the Mid-autumn festival period (when mooncakes suddenly start popping out of bakery ovens due to commercial motivations), thought I could share a favourite poem of mine (no, its not 床前明月光, which is a good poem nonetheless, just that I find it over-read and over-quoted). Enjoy the read!

《水调歌头》

明月几时有，
把酒问青天，
不知天上宫阕，
今夕是何年，

我欲乘风归去，
又恐琼楼玉宇，
高处不胜寒。
起舞弄清影，
何似在人间。

转朱阁，
低倚户，
照无眠，
不应有恨，
何事长向别时圆，

人有悲欢离合，
月有阴晴圆缺，
此事古难全，

但愿人长久，
千里共婵娟。

-苏东坡

P.S. President Ong Teng Cheong's eulogy for his wife ended with the a reading of this poem, less the last line "千 里共婵娟"。 From what I recall, his intention was to remind the listeners that life with one's loved ones is not infinitesimal; but rather that he could only have wished that his mortal life with her was.