Two poems: longing and returning home

诗人在异乡度过重阳节。

shī rén zài yì xiāng dù guò chóng yáng jié。

The poet spends the Double Ninth Festival away from home.

每逢佳节，他格外想念远方的家人。

měi féng jiā jié， tā gé wài xiǎng niàn yuǎn fāng de jiā rén。

At every festival, he especially misses his family far away.

诗中的思念来自与亲人分离的感受。

shī zhōng de sī niàn lái zì yǔ qīn rén fēn lí de gǎn shòu。

The poem's longing comes from being separated from family.

登高的人们把茱萸插在身上。

dēng gāo de rén men bǎ zhū yú chā zài shēn shàng。

People climbing to high ground wear sprigs of dogwood.

老人回乡时，乡音依旧没有改变。

lǎo rén huí xiāng shí， xiāng yīn yī jiù méi yǒu gǎi biàn。

When the older man returns home, his hometown accent remains unchanged.

鬓毛衰写出了岁月带来的变化。

bìn máo shuāi xiě chū le suì yuè dài lái de biàn huà。

The line about thinning hair shows the changes brought by time.

独在异乡为异客，

dú zài yì xiāng wéi yì kè，

Alone in a strange land, I am a stranger,

每逢佳节倍思亲。

měi féng jiā jié bèi sī qīn。

At every festival I miss my family even more.

遥知兄弟登高处，

yáo zhī xiōng dì dēng gāo chù，

Far away, I imagine my brothers climbing high,

遍插茱萸少一人。

biàn chā zhū yú shǎo yī rén。

Each wearing dogwood, with one person missing.

少小离家老大回，

shào xiǎo lí jiā lǎo dà huí，

I left home young and return old,

乡音无改鬓毛衰。

xiāng yīn wú gǎi bìn máo shuāi。

My accent unchanged, my hair at the temples thinned.

儿童相见不相识，

ér tóng xiāng jiàn bù xiāng shí，

The children see me but do not recognise me,

笑问客从何处来？

xiào wèn kè cóng hé chù lái？

Smiling, they ask where this visitor comes from.

A 第一首诗为什么在节日里更想家？

dì yī shǒu shī wèi shén me zài jié rì lǐ gèng xiǎng jiā？

Why does the first poem express stronger longing at a festival?

B 诗人想到亲人团聚，自己却在异乡。

shī rén xiǎng dào qīn rén tuán jù， zì jǐ què zài yì xiāng。

The poet imagines family gathering while he is away.

A 少一人指的是谁？

shǎo yī rén zhǐ de shì shuí？

Who is the one person missing?

B 指诗人自己，他想象兄弟们登高。

zhǐ shī rén zì jǐ， tā xiǎng xiàng xiōng dì men dēng gāo。

The poet himself, imagining his brothers climbing to a high place.

A 第二首的诗人已经回家，为什么还是客？

dì èr shǒu de shī rén yǐ jīng huí jiā， wèi shén me hái shì kè？

Why is the second speaker a guest even after returning?

B 孩子们不认识他，以为他从别处来。

hái zi men bù rèn shi tā， yǐ wéi tā cóng bié chù lái。

The children do not recognise him and think he comes from elsewhere.