The Tale of Kiều
by Nguyễn Du
Ch. 21: In Jade Tower, Longing For Home
Translated by Vuong Thanh 

Chapter 21: In Jade Tower, Longing For Home 

 Kiều now lived in the Jade Tower with a few friends:

Some distant hills and the nearby moon.

On all four sides into the far distance that she could see:

Some dunes of gold sand, some trails with red dust.

With resigned ennui and shame, her days slowly went by, 

from watching dawn clouds to staying awake by the night lamplight.

The scenic view and her feelings divided her heart in two.

She thought of him, the cup of pledge wine under the moonlight.

How he must be longing for news of her each day.

In this corner of the sky, alone on this lost shore, 

how would she ever cleanse her tainted heart.

She grieved for those awaiting at the door for her return.

Who would fan her parents now during hot weather, 

and keeps them warm them in the cold winter.

After these months of rain and shine, the yard’s catalpa tree probably big enough to stretch her arms around.

In sadness she watched the harbor at sunset.

Whose boat was it with sails appearing and disappearing far off?

In sadness she watched the river flowing into the sea.

Drifting flowers on the water. Where would they go?

In sadness she watched the vast plain of wilted grass.

A bluish tint where the earth meets the clouds.

In sadness she watched the wind raising eddies in the bay.

The waves were roaring around her seat.

All around her were foreign streams and unknown hills.

An exile’s sorrow inspired her with a few quatrains.