Awaiting the Wine That Doesn’t Come
- Poetry of Li Bai (Li Po)
With a blue silken cord is bound
A jade wine pot. Why are you so slow?
The mountain flowers smile at me now;
It’s time to drink a cup, I know.
I drink alone by east window still;
There orioles sing to their fill.
The vernal wind and I are fain
To revel now and once again.
This poem depicts the poet drinking and reveling in a spring day, showcasing a contented and carefree state of mind. In ancient times, drinking was not only a way for literati to express emotions but also a life attitude that embodied their sentiments. Through imagery such as the spring breeze, mountain flowers, and orioles, the poet blends the beauty of nature with the joy of drinking, expressing both a cherishment of beautiful moments and a free-spirited philosophy of following nature and seizing the day.
玉壶系青丝，沽酒来何迟。
山花向我笑，正好衔杯时。
晚酌东窗下，流莺复在兹。
春风与醉客，今日乃相宜。
- Why Chinese poems is so special?
- The most distinctive features of Chinese poetry are: concision- many poems are only four lines, and few are much longer than eight; ambiguity- number, tense and parts of speech are often undetermined, creating particularly rich interpretative possibilities; and structure- most poems follow quite strict formal patterns which have beauty in themselves as well as highlighting meaningful contrasts.
- How to read a Chinese poem?
- Like an English poem, but more so. Everything is there for a reason, so try to find that reason. Think about all the possible connotations, and be aware of the different possibilities of number and tense. Look for contrasts: within lines, between the lines of each couplet and between successive couplets. Above all, don't worry about what the poet meant- find your meaning.