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

NOTE TO READERS: If you enjoyed this poem or other content, please consider making a donation to the Society of Classical Poets.

The Society of Classical Poets does not endorse any views expressed in individual poems or commentary.

 

***Read Our Comments Policy Here***

 

One Response

  1. Joshua Philipp

    Li Bai is my favorite poet. Great translation. I’ve honestly never read a version of this poem that keeps a good rhyming structure.

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.