SUMMER 夏

杜牧: 菱透浮萍綠錦池，夏鶯千囀弄薔薇。盡日無人看微雨，鴛鴦相對浴紅衣。

After residing in Florida for the past decade, we are accustomed to the hot
and humid weather. From time to time, we are refreshed by the cool ocean
breeze. Seemingly, in the Sunshine State, there are six to seven months in
the summer season. A long hot summer. 人皆苦炎熱，我愛夏日長。薰風自南來，殿
閣生微涼。Charles Bowden: “Summertime is always the best of what might
be.”

On a summer morning, the warm sunlight streams through the dense, shady
green leaves of thriving trees, drying up the morning dew. The thick,
impenetrable grass overlays the ground like a vast green carpet. 夏木陰陰正
可人, 綠陰幽草勝花時。夏條綠已密，朱萼綴明鮮。The scent of the rain from the
night before faintly lingers in the balmy air. The summer blue sky and the
floating billowy white clouds create a picturesque panorama.

Birds are melodiously chirping, blissfully flying or indolently frolicking
in water. 夜鶯啼綠柳, 鳥鳴山更幽。紛紛紅紫已成塵，布穀聲中夏令新。竹搖清影罩
幽窗，兩兩時禽噪夕陽。自在嬌鶯恰恰啼。漠漠水田飛白鷺，陰陰夏木囀黃鸝。自去自
來堂上燕，相親相近水中鷗。水滿有時觀下鷺, 乳鴨池塘水淺深。Cicadas are
delightfully sipping the dew and stridently singing on the lofty parasol
trees. 垂緯飲清露，流響出疏桐。居高聲自遠, 蟬噪林逾靜。萬樹鳴蟬隔岸虹。
Beautiful, fragrant flowers are blooming splendidly. 滿架薔盛一院香, 夜合花
開香滿庭。Butterflies are gracefully dancing around the colorful flower
beds. Honeybee are flitting among flowers, while dragonflies are elegantly
gliding in the air. 留連戲蝶時時舞，又銜花瓣到蘭房。蝶衣曬粉花枝舞。穿花蛺蝶
深深見，點水蜻蜓款款飛。日長籬落無人過，唯有蜻蜓蛺蝶飛。

In the ponds, the enthralling, fragrant lotus flowers, complemented by the
large, adorable green leaves, are gently swaying along with the cool summer
breeze. 六月荷花香滿湖, 紅衣綠扇映清波。接天蓮葉無窮碧，映日荷花別樣紅。荷
葉似雲香不斷。青荷蓋綠水，芙蓉披紅鮮。Every now and then, a fish is seen
leisurely swimming near the surface of the water. 荷韻魚游戲碧塘。The summer
breeze also makes the weeping willow trees by the water sobbing softly. 楊柳
青青江水平, 碧玉妝成一樹高，萬條垂下綠絲絛。楊柳東風樹，青青夾御河, 明波影千
柳。The whispers of innumerable green leaves from other trees are also
audible.

Suddenly, lightning lightens up the overhanging dark clouds, and deafening
thunders break the sound of silence. 風驅急雨灑高城，雲壓輕雷殷地聲。雷聲忽
送千峰雨，花氣渾如百和香。Then the heavy summer rain pours down powerfully
like a waterfall washing everything on earth, trees, flowers and green
fields. 雨點飛空射強弩, 柳外輕雷池上雨。綠遍山原白滿川，子規聲里雨如煙。
Incidentally, here in Florida, sometimes the sun shines brightly while
raining dogs and cats simultaneously. 東邊日出西邊雨, 是晴是雨?

The sky on a summer night is captivating and enchanting. The glittering
little stars charmingly embellish the massive dark sky. 山澤凝暑氣，星漢湛光
輝。星垂平野闊，月涌大江流。七八個星天外，兩三點雨山前。 Gooseberry Patch:
“Celebrate summer-sun-drenched days and starlit nights.” A number of
little radiances emitted by lightening bugs are flittering mysteriously in
the darkness. 夕殿下珠簾，流螢飛復息。 Long after the summer sun sets in the
west, the overflowing poetic sentiment evolved under the most romantic full
moon in a serene starry night with her silvery reflection imprinted on the
pond is irrefutably surrealistic. 山光忽西落，池月漸東上。明月別枝驚鵲，清風
半夜鳴蟬。蟬音月影柳垂揚，月照平沙夏夜霜。 Gorgeous pink and white lotus
flowers are dissipating their ambrosial fragrance; while the twinkling rain
water drops, reflecting the moonlight from above, are rolling around on the
broad jade-green leaves. 荷深水風闊，雨過清香發。過雨荷花滿院香。雨裛紅蕖冉
冉香。新荷跳雨淚珠傾。胭脂雪瘦薰沉水，翡翠盤高走夜光。微風忽起吹蓮葉，青玉盤
中瀉水銀。The rhythm of the light rain resonates with the chirps of the
insects and the cloaks of the frogs in the ponds, creating a harmonious
symphony. 黃梅時節家家雨，青草池塘處處蛙。竹深樹密蟲鳴處, 草深無處不鳴蛙。雨
過不知龍去處，一池草色萬蛙鳴。

In summer, life is like the rising sun, so vibrant and flourishing. Summer
symbolizes youthfulness, passion, excitement and enthusiasm. With the summer
sun, cool breeze and refreshing rain, life is zestful and full of hope.
People are cherishing a great deal of romantic and happy reminiscences and
nostalgias. Summer always ends with good memories; one reminisces of one’s
exuberance.

William Cullen Bryant: “The moon is at her full, and riding high, Floods
the calm fields with light. The airs that hover in the summer sky Are all
asleep tonight.” g

About the author:

Dr. Patrick Lau was born in Hong Kong and immigrated to the U.S. after high
school. He retired from the VA Northern Indiana Heath Care System where he
served as Chief Radiologist and moved to Florida with his wife in 2011. He
was an active member & contributor of IACA and ICMA while in Indiana. Dr.
Lau is also a scholar of art and literature and a prolific writer, he has
been a dedicated columnist for Indy Asian American Times since 2010.