這首詩(shī)立意詠贊早梅的高潔,但作者并沒有發(fā)一句議論和贊語,卻將早梅的高潔品格和詩(shī)人的贊美之情清晰地刻劃出來。一首絕句,僅二十八個(gè)字,就能將梅花寫得如此之美,除立意新穎之外,還在于詩(shī)人從現(xiàn)實(shí)生活的觀察中,能捕捉住早梅的顏色(潔白)、地點(diǎn)(偏僻)、季節(jié)(早春)、氣質(zhì)(耐寒)、姿態(tài)(俏麗)等特征,加以藝術(shù)的提煉和概括,并借助像“白玉條”“冬雪壓枝”等生動(dòng)、形象的比喻,鮮明、傳神地塑造出早梅的品貌和氣質(zhì),使人生發(fā)出美不勝嘆的感覺。梅與雪常常在詩(shī)人筆下結(jié)成不解之緣,如許渾《早梅》詩(shī)云:“素艷雪凝樹”,這是形容梅花似雪,而這首詩(shī)則是疑梅為雪,著意點(diǎn)是不同的。對(duì)寒梅花發(fā),形色的似玉如雪,不少詩(shī)人也都產(chǎn)生過類似的疑真的錯(cuò)覺。
張謂·《早梅》
一樹寒梅白玉條,迥臨村路傍溪橋。
不知近水花先發(fā),疑是經(jīng)冬雪未銷。
Early Plum Blossoms
Zhang Wei
Of white jade
A tree of winter sweet has branches and twigs.
Far from a path passing by the village.
It stands by the side of a brook bridge.
I didn't know it blossomed first
Because it was near to water,
But thought that snow hadn't melted
Throughout the winter.