背江楼，临海月，城上角声呜咽。堤柳动，岛烟昏，两行征雁分。
京口路，归帆渡，正是芳菲欲度。银烛尽，玉绳低，一声村落鸡。
关于此词的主旨，历代学者看法有很大分歧。许多学者认为是写闺中HRef=https://www.xuegushici.com/list/nuzi/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>女子的HRef=https://www.xuegushici.com/list/huaiyuan/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>怀远深情。HRef=https://www.xuegushici.com/list/kaitou/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>开头三句，女主人公倚楼HRef=https://www.xuegushici.com/list/wangyuan/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>望远，眼见海月初升，耳听城上角声呜咽。这里暗写一个“思”字；“角声呜咽”，烘托出愁情。接着三句，HRef=https://www.xuegushici.com/list/chujingshengqing/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>触景生情，由近而远HRef=https://www.xuegushici.com/list/fenbie/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>分别写到堤柳拂动，烟岛朦胧，征雁两行，层次井然，景中HRef=https://www.xuegushici.com/list/yuqing/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>寓情，尤其是“两行征雁飞”一句，寓当初HRef=https://www.xuegushici.com/list/fenshou/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>分手情景，写此时悠悠HRef=https://www.xuegushici.com/list/liqing/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>离情，蕴籍含蓄，颇为人称道。
下片镜头变换，转写HRef=https://www.xuegushici.com/list/youzi/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>游子欲归，以从对方写来的方法来升华HRef=https://www.xuegushici.com/list/sifu/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>思妇的HRef=https://www.xuegushici.com/list/ganqing/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>感情。换头三句，从虚处落笔，以虚写实，更见主人公此时HRef=https://www.xuegushici.com/list/lichou/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>离愁之深，HRef=https://www.xuegushici.com/list/xiangsi/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>相思之苦。“路”“渡”等词，显示了HRef=https://www.xuegushici.com/list/youzi/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>游子HRef=https://www.xuegushici.com/list/sigui/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>思归的心意，日夜兼程，特别是“正是芳菲欲度”句，点明时候已经是HRef=https://www.xuegushici.com/list/muchun/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>暮春，良辰HRef=https://www.xuegushici.com/list/moijing/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>美景难再。末三句亦写从夜到晓，是HRef=https://www.xuegushici.com/list/youzi/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>游子所见所闻，从银烛孤照到村落鸡啼，表明HRef=https://www.xuegushici.com/list/lutu/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>旅途的广阔与清凄，也写出了HRef=https://www.xuegushici.com/list/youzi/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>游子的HRef=https://www.xuegushici.com/list/guji/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>孤寂与HRef=https://www.xuegushici.com/list/siqin/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>思亲情绪。最后HRef=https://www.xuegushici.com/list/yijingjieqing/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>以景结情，韵味深长。
整首词写主人公的HRef=https://www.xuegushici.com/list/huaiyuan/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>怀远深情，沿着由夜到晓的HRef=https://www.xuegushici.com/list/shijian/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>时间流程，通过其所见、所闻、所感，从景象中透出，从旁处托出，层次分明，HRef=https://www.xuegushici.com/list/yijing/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>意境深沉。
还有一些学者认为此词属于HRef=https://www.xuegushici.com/list/jilu/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>羁旅行役词，纯为基于个人HRef=https://www.xuegushici.com/list/xinglu2/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>行旅HRef=https://www.xuegushici.com/list/shenghuo/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>生活体验的HRef=https://www.xuegushici.com/list/ziwo/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>自我HRef=https://www.xuegushici.com/list/shuqing/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>抒情之作，而非类型化的代言体。全篇境界开阔，格调清新，与HRef=https://www.xuegushici.com/list/guiqing/ target=_blank class=infotextkey>闺情词不同。