Dreams Quote by Dai Wangshu
““Holding up an oil-paper umbrella, I loiter aimlessly in the long, long And lonely rainy alley, I hope to encounter A lilac-like girl Nursing her resentment A lilac-like color she has A lilac-like fragrance, A lilac-like sadness, Melancholy in the rain, Sorrowful and uncertain; She loiters aimlessly in this lonely rainy alley Holding up an oil-paper umbrella Just like me And just like me Walks silently, Apathetic, sad and disconsolate Silently she moves closer Moves closer and casts A sigh-like glance She glides by Like a dream Hazy and confused like a dream As in a dream she glides past Like a lilac spray, This girl glides past beside me; She silently moves away, moves away Up to the broken-down bamboo fence, To the end of the rainy alley. In the rains sad song, Her color vanishes Her fragrance diffuses, Even her Sigh-like glance, Lilac-like discontent Vanish. Holding up an oil-paper umbrella, alone Aimlessly walking in the long, long And lonely rainy alley, I wish for A lilac-like girl Nursing her resentment glide by.””
About This Quote
Source Poem: “Rainy Alley” by Dai Wangshu, 1930s
A solitary figure in a rainy alley longs for a fleeting, melancholic connection, symbolized by a lilac-like girl, reflecting yearning and transience.
In simple terms: A lonely wanderer seeks a brief, sad encounter in the rain.
Key Takeaway
Embrace fleeting moments without clinging.
Themes
loneliness
yearning
transience
memory
rain
silence
Mood
melancholy
reflective
poetic
Type
literary
emotional
visual
When to use this quote
- walking alone in rain
- observing strangers
- reflecting on loss
- writing poetry
- contemplating impermanence
Key Concepts
poetry
symbolism
melancholy
Questions to Reflect On
- What does the lilac girl represent for you?
- How do you find beauty in fleeting sadness?
A Different Perspective
The poem’s abstract imagery may obscure concrete action for the reader.
