Post by luceluna on Nov 1, 2001 6:25:02 GMT -5
WRITTEN BY Li Po
TRANSLATED BY Hamil
I take my wine jug out among the flowers
to drink alone, without friends.
I raise my cup to entice the moon.
That, and my shadow, makes us three.
But the moon doesn't drink,
and my shadow silently follows.
I will travel with moon and shadow,
happy to the end of spring.
When I sing, the moon dances.
When I dance, my shadow dances, too.
We share life's joys when sober.
Drunk, each goes a separate way.
Constant friends, although we wander,
we'll meet again in the Milky Way.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Li Po is regarded as the greatest Chinese poet to have lived. He was a traveller and a heavy drinker, with a life that reads like a legend (for over the centuries, it has been moulded into one). If you're interested, you can read more at
www.santafe.edu/~shalizi/Poetry/Li_Po/
Bear in mind that the work varies according to the translator (some of Waley's translations jar on me, whereas Hamil's are more consistent to my ear).
;D
TRANSLATED BY Hamil
I take my wine jug out among the flowers
to drink alone, without friends.
I raise my cup to entice the moon.
That, and my shadow, makes us three.
But the moon doesn't drink,
and my shadow silently follows.
I will travel with moon and shadow,
happy to the end of spring.
When I sing, the moon dances.
When I dance, my shadow dances, too.
We share life's joys when sober.
Drunk, each goes a separate way.
Constant friends, although we wander,
we'll meet again in the Milky Way.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Li Po is regarded as the greatest Chinese poet to have lived. He was a traveller and a heavy drinker, with a life that reads like a legend (for over the centuries, it has been moulded into one). If you're interested, you can read more at
www.santafe.edu/~shalizi/Poetry/Li_Po/
Bear in mind that the work varies according to the translator (some of Waley's translations jar on me, whereas Hamil's are more consistent to my ear).
;D