The fault is mine The fault is mine, I drank, I’m drunk, and now I’m in this sorry state. Albert Einstein famously said, “Doing the same thing, expecting a different result is the very definition of insanity.” And drinking too much leads to a familiar crazy result. Last night I drank too much with friends….
Category: Li Bai
A Parting Gift from a Nanjing Wineshop
A parting gift for his friends. Suddenly, every one of your senses kicks in, everything seems more real, and final. Li Bai’s Parting Gift from a Nanjing Wineshop, modified from its original three line, six verses of seven characters. Jinling wineshop, a parting giftA willow-like scent floats in the air asfinger-like flowers drift in the…
Spring Again — 2023
Chang’an, 740s Li Bai, the Tang dynasty’s new, young Rock Star poet, is at the imperial court in Chang’an, writing poems to please the Emperor Xuanzong and his concubine, the lovely Yang Guifei. An earlier translation, Spring Thoughts. In SpringIn Yan the grass is thin as silk and blue,In Qin the mulberry bows down with…
Pure and Fair Song
An Incomparable Beauty How Li Bai flattered a beautiful woman and first made his name at the imperial court. The beauty is Yang Guifei (楊貴妃), consort to the Emperor Xuanzong, whose life would tragically end. But our poet did not know that then. [Note. Yushan – Jade mountain, home of the goddess of the West;…
Leaving Baidi in the Morning
Smooth sailing ahead? Note. Baidi is an ancient fortress on a hill at the northern shore of the Yangtze River. Legend has it that it was once covered in a white mist. Li Bai was exiled here for treason during the An Lushan Rebellion. Li Bai wrote “Leaving Baidi in the Morning” on his way…
The Apes are Crying along the Shore
Exchanging Poems “Your lonely boat’s is now a distant thing, that sails where blue skies go.” Li Bai to Meng.“As apes shed tears along the shore, so do I.” Meng Haoran to Li. Li Bai Early spring, circa 730, good friends Meng Haoran Li Bai meet at the Yellow Crane Tower in Wuhan to say…
Lotus Flower Peak, Huashan Mountain
In January of 756, General An Lushan and his barbarian forces captured Luoyang, the eastern Tang capital. An Lushan proclaimed himself emperor. The capital of Chang’an was threatened. China was in an uproar. Nearby, Li Bai, from his lofty platform on Lotus Mountain, watched the advancing death and destruction. On Lotus Mountain’s western peakFar and…
Send Meng this Gift
Mysterious moon in the sky. Some nights, so close, it seems, one can touch it. And even when it is far, far away, good friends can always share it. 赠孟浩然 吾爱孟夫子， 风流天下闻红颜弃轩冕， 白首卧松云醉月频中圣， 迷花不事君高山安可仰, 徒此挹清芬 赠孟浩然, 李 白 A Gift to Meng HaoranMaster Meng, my love. Beloved the world over.Your rosy cheeks replace your courtly crownYour…
South of the Ramparts
“A pawn is a fierce device, sacrifice only if you must.” Li Bai, ca. 751 Chinese poet Li Bai likens War to a Game of Chess where soldiers become pawns in a game played between generals. Historical note. In 751 AD, three armies clashed at the Battle of the Talas River (怛羅斯戰役). The battle took…
Give Me Meat to Eat
November, 2021, Happy Thanksgiving! “Dear Li Bai, Give me meat to eat, or at least green rice to put some color in my cheeks.” — an excerpt from a short ditty written by Du Fu to Li Bai, the Tang dynasty’s two best known poets. … 野人對羶腥, 蔬食常不飽豈無青精飯, 使我顏色好… A savage rightly likes fish and…
100 Tang Poems 