By Li Bai (Translated by Lan Hua)
In the rickety tower
A hundred feet high
My hands could pluck
The stars from the sky
I dare not speak
More than a whisper
For fear of disturbing
The Immortals nearby
Lan Hua is a writer and translator based in New York. His translations of Chinese poetry are available online at www.tangspirit.net and his own poetry is available online at lampoetry.blogspot.com
Adam, thank you very much indeed! I'm glad to hear you find the dodo humorous. I think Lewis Carroll may…
Scott, thank you very much for your kind and appreciative comments. I am glad so many of us on this…
Martin, what a generous and inspirational comment. My Muse is dancing with delight and telling me to fetch my pen…
... and I absolutely love your “memento mori” observation. My personified Earth IS whispering of our own mortality. Perhaps the…
Brian, as ever your comments are perceptive and generous and a pleasure to receive. Your close reading of the form…
Li Bai is my favorite poet. Great translation. I’ve honestly never read a version of this poem that keeps a good rhyming structure.