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A Lonely Traveller

Docking Overnight by Maple Bridge

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6 Comments
by
angliholic
, 08-07-2010 at 12:57 AM (1032 Views)


The moon is leaning downward;
a crow is cawing in a sky of frost.
A maple tree by the river is sleeping alone
against the light from a fishing boat.
Outside the town Gusu, a bell from Cold Mountain Temple
rings across the midnight and reaches a guest boat.

Updated 08-07-2010 at 11:32 AM by angliholic

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Comments

  1. Virgil's Avatar
    My gosh this is beautiful. You have such a delicate touch. I love that very first line especially, the moon leaning downward. "Leaning" captures that beautifully!
  2. angliholic's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Virgil
    My gosh this is beautiful. You have such a delicate touch. I love that very first line especially, the moon leaning downward. "Leaning" captures that beautifully!
    Thanks, Virgil, again for your nice feedback.

    The honor is still not mine.
    I'm the translator not the author.
    This classic poem is quite well-known in this part of the world. So, I'd like to share it with you!
    Besides beauty, what else did you feel when you read it?


    Regards,
  3. Virgil's Avatar
    Ah, so is the author known? Still you did a beautiful job in the translation. Thank you for sharing.
  4. angliholic's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Virgil
    Ah, so is the author known? Still you did a beautiful job in the translation. Thank you for sharing.
    The author is a famous poet in Tang Dynasty.

    Besides beauty, what else did you feel?

    I'd like to know the feedback of this poem from people from different cultures.
  5. Virgil's Avatar
    Well, the moon hanging, the crow cawing, the sky frosted, the lone maple tree all give me a sense of isolation. Even the mountain is called "Cold Mountain." I don't know what to make of the bell ringing. It sounds inviting. In fact it's the only thing that one graps comfort, spreading across the night. It sort of aleviates the isolation.
  6. angliholic's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Virgil
    Well, the moon hanging, the crow cawing, the sky frosted, the lone maple tree all give me a sense of isolation. Even the mountain is called "Cold Mountain." I don't know what to make of the bell ringing. It sounds inviting. In fact it's the only thing that one graps comfort, spreading across the night. It sort of aleviates the isolation.
    I subscribe to your interpretation.
    I simply like the poem and never think about the deep meanings it tried to get across!