Poetry Month Day 4: Two Poems by Li Po

[dwgm]

Missed yesterday, so here are two poems by Li Po...


~ Mountain Drinking Song ~

To drown the ancient sorrows,
we drank a hundred jugs of wine
there in the beautiful night.
We couldn't go to bed with the moon so bright.

The finally the wine overcame us
and we lay down on the empty mountain--
the earth for a pillow,
and a blanket made of heaven.


~.~


~ The Cold Clear Spring At Nanyang ~

A pity it is evening, yet
I do love the water of this spring
seeing how clear it is, how clean;
rays of sunset gleam on it,
lighting up its ripples, making it
one with those who travel
the roads; I turn and face
the moon; sing it a song, then
listen to the sound of the wind
amongst the pines.


~.~



Biography

Li Po was born in what is now Sichuan Province. At 19 he left home and lived with a Taoist hermit. After a time of wandering, he married and lived with his wife's family. Then he lived briefly as a poet at the Tang court in Chang'an. He decided to return to a life of Taoist study and poetry writing. During his wanderings in 744 he met Tu Fu, another famous poet of the period. In 756, Li Po became an un official poet laureate to Prince Lin. The prince was soon accused of intending to set up an independent kingdom and was executed. Li Po was arrested and imprisoned, but a high official looked into Li Po's case. The high official had Li Po released and made him a staff secretary. In the summer of 758, the charges were revived. Li Po was banished to Yeh-lang. Li Po frequently celebrated the joy of drinking. According to legend, Li Po drowned while drunkenly leaning from a boat to embrace the moon's reflection on the water. ~

Comments

[florencia7.livejournal.com]

"the earth for a pillow, / and a blanket made of heaven." - such lovely imagery. Wonderful poems.

I liked the legend about his attempt to embrace the moon's reflection... So poetic in itself.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

So poetic in itself.

That's what I thought, too. :)

So glad you enjoyed these!