Tipsy Verse
- Poetry of Liu Guo
In the small yard, east of grapevine moon-rack,
My waist dances wild to drums' heroic beat.
Poems done, colored brushes share the verse—
Amid gold hairpins, I take my seat.
Autumn leaves chant cold in roaring wind,
Evening woods glow through sun's crystal rays.
If I wore Chuzhou's seal at my waist,
Surely they'd call me "Drunken Sage" these days.
Composed in Liu Guo's later years during his wandering life beyond the circles of power, this poem emerges from a state of drunken spontaneity. Beneath its seemingly carefree tone lies profound contemplation—juxtaposing lively banquet scenes ("dancing waists," "golden hairpins") with autumnal melancholy ("cold-chanting leaves," "ignited woods"). The allusion to Ouyang Xiu's "Drunken Elder" persona reflects Liu's self-redefinition: though politically unfulfilled, he finds solace in poetry and wine. More than a tipsy improvisation, this work embodies a scholar's sober self-reckoning through intoxicated verse.
小院蒲萄月架东，舞腰忙趁鼓声雄。
诗成彩笔分题后，人在金钗财令中。
秋叶冷吟风浩荡，晚林烘透日玲珑。
腰间若佩滁州印，定有人呼作醉翁。
- 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.
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