69 A Han dream wake-up

Verse 69

Not enough not enough
Difficulties do weigh on your mind
Rain floods a dike in open country
The moon is like a fishing hook
A dream cut off, a rude awakening, worried brows

"邯鄲夢覺"
(Han dream wake-up)
(The image refers to another story about a dream)

The expression alludes to the story "The millet dream" about a poor man who is dreaming about wealth, but when he wakes up, his millet is still uncooked (millet takes just a few minutes).

"A Han dream wake-up" is a rude awakening, unrealized ambition, a dream cut off.
The subject of the verse worries about his life: "not enough not enough".

In the dark night, when the moon hardly shines, he dreams of riches but wakes up with nothing.

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