参差烟树灞陵桥，风物尽前朝。衰杨古柳，几经攀折，憔悴楚宫腰。
夕阳闲淡秋光老，离思满蘅皋。一曲阳关，断肠声尽，独自凭兰桡。
这是柳永漫游HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/changan/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>长安时所作的一首HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/huaigu/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>怀古HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/shangjin/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>伤今之词。上片写词人乘舟HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/libie/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>离别HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/changan/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>长安时之所见。“参差”二句，点明所咏对象，以引起HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/shangbie/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>伤别之情。回首遥望HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/changan/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>长安、灞桥一带，参差的HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/liushu/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>柳树笼罩在迷的烟雾里。HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/feng/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>风光和HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/jingwu/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>景物还和汉、唐时代一样。词人HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/chujingshengqing/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>触景生情，思接百代。“衰杨”三句，进一步写灞桥HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/feng/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>风物的沧桑之变，既“古”且“衰”的HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/yangliu/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>杨柳，几经攀折，那婀娜多姿的细腰早已憔悴不堪了。时值霜秋，没有暖意融融的春HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/feng/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>风，HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/yangliu/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>杨柳已经不堪忍受，况复“几经攀折”，唯有憔悴而已矣！HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/niren/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>拟人化修辞手法的运用，不仅形象生动，而且也增强了表达效果。上片通过描绘眼中景、心中事、事中情的顿挫，写出了词人HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/shangbie/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>伤别中的HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/huaigu/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>怀古，及HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/huaigu/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>怀古心中的HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/shangjin/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>伤今。
下片写离HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/changan/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>长安时置身HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/zhouzhong/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>舟中的感触。“HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/xiyang/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>夕阳”句，点明HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/libie/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>离别之时正值暮秋的HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/bangwan/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>傍晚，一抹淡淡的HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/xiyang/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>夕阳，映照着古城烟柳。连用三个形容词“闲”、“淡”、“老”，集中描写“HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/xiyang/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>夕阳”的凋残，“秋光”更是“老”而不振，清冷HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/guji/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>孤寂的环境，令人颓丧、怅恼的HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/jingwu/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>景物与词人自己HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/chouyuan/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>愁怨的HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/xinqing/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>心情交织在一起，使他愈增HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/lihen/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>离恨。“HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/lisi/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>离思”句，极写HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/lisi/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>离思之多、之密，如长满杜蘅的郊野。然后以“阳关曲”和“断肠声”相呼应，烘托出清越苍凉的气氛。结句“独自凭兰桡”，以词人独自倚在画船船舷上的画面为全篇画上句号，透露出一种HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/guji/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>孤寂难耐的HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/qinghuai/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>情怀。
本词紧扣富有深意的HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/jingwu/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>景物，以繁华兴起，又陡转HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/xiaose/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>萧瑟，有HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/yonggu/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>咏古之思和HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/lishi/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>历史变迁之叹，但未触及HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/lishi/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>历史事实，不加HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/yilun/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>议论，只是通过描写富有韵味的HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/jingwu/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>景物和抒发HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/liqing/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>离情别绪来突出HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/ganqing/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>感情的波澜起伏，虚实互应，情景相生，笔力遒劲，境界高远。
开篇总揽灞桥全景“参差烟树灞陵桥”一句，直接点明所咏对象，HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/muse/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>暮色苍茫中，HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/yangliu/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>杨柳如烟；柳色明暗处，霸桥横卧。灞桥是HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/bieli/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>别离的象征，眼前凄迷的灞桥暮景，更易牵动羁泊HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/yixiang/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>异乡的HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/qinghuai/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>情怀。灞桥不仅目睹人世间的离鸾别鹤之苦，而且也是人世沧桑、升沉变替的见证。“HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/feng/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>风物尽前朝”一句，紧承首句又拓展词意，使HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/xianshi2/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>现实的旅思羁愁与HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/lishi/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>历史的HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/xingwang/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>兴亡之感交织，把空间的迷茫感与HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/shijian/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>时间的悠远感融为一体，貌似冷静的描述中，透露出作者沉思的神情与沉郁的HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/qinghuai/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>情怀。“哀杨古柳”三句从HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/zheliu/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>折柳HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/songbie/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>送别着想，专写HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/lichou/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>离愁。作者HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/xiangxiang/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>想象年去岁来，多少离人此HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/zheliu/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>折柳HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/zengbie/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>赠别，HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/yangliu/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>杨柳屡经攀折，纤细轻柔的柳条竟至“憔悴”！此词写衰杨古柳，憔悴衰败，已不胜攀折。以哀景映衬哀情，借伤柳以HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/shangbie/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>伤别，加倍突出人间HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/bieli/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>别离之频繁，别恨之深重。
自“HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/xiyang/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>夕阳闲淡秋光老”一句始，词境愈加HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/qiqing/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>凄清又无限延伸。面对灞桥，已令人顿生HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/lisi/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>离思，偏又时当HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/qiuri/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>秋日HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/huanghun/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>黄昏，日色晚，秋光老，HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/xiyang/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>夕阳残照，给本已HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/xiaose/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>萧瑟的秋色又抹上一层惨淡的色彩，也给作者本已凄楚的心灵再笼罩一层黯淡的阴影。想到光阴易逝，HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/youzi/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>游子飘零，HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/lisi/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>离思HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/chouxu/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>愁绪绵延不尽，终于溢满蘅皋了。“HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/lisi/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>离思满蘅皋”，是用夸张的HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/biyu/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>比喻形容HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/lichou/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>离愁之多，无所不在。
“一曲《阳关》”两句，转而从听觉角度写HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/lichou/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>离愁。作者目瞻神驰，正离HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/sisuo/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>思索怀，身边忽又响起《阳关》曲，将作者思绪带回别前的离席。眼前又进行一场深情的HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/jianbie/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>饯别，而行者正是自己。客中再尝HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/bieli/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>别离之苦，旧恨加上新愁，已极可悲，而此次分袂，偏偏又传统的HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/libie/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>离别之地，情形加倍难堪，耳闻《阳关》促别，HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/ziran/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>自然使人肝肠寸断了。至此，目之所遇，耳之所闻，无不关合HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/liqing/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>离情纷至沓来。词末以“独自凭兰桡”陡然收煞。“独自”二字，下得沉重，依依难舍的别衷、孤身飘零的苦况，尽含其中。
这首词运用了回环断续的HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/yishu/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>艺术手法，借助灞桥、古柳、HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/xiyang/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>夕阳、阳关等寓意深远的意象，不加丝毫HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/yilun/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>议论，只通过HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/pingdiao/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>凭吊前朝HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/feng/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>风物，就抒发无限的HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/gankai/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>感慨，做到了“状难状之景，达难达之情，而出之以HRef=https://www.qijian.info/list/ziran/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>自然”（《宋六十一家词选例言》）。