| Window on Chinese Poetry |
Reader comments on "Drinking alone with the moon" by Li Bai This poem is about the poet drinking alone in a flower garden, since no one is with him, and he feels very lonely. Thus, he used his imagination to invite the moon and his shadow to drink with him. In the poem, there are two lines: �I sang. The moon encouraged me. I danced. My shadow tumbled after.� They seem to reveal that the poet felt very happy when he was drinking with the moon and his shadow. However, the poet was not happy actually; he felt empty, therefore he hoped to have the moon and his shadow with him forever. After I read this poem, I felt so sad because the poet had no friends and he was very lonely. Moreover, I learned a lesson from this poem. It was that we should treasure our family and all our friends around us and care for them. It�s because they bring you lots of love and happiness, and you are never alone. Elsa Ng The poem is presented below: |
"Drinking alone with the moon" by Li Bai From a pot of wine among the flowers I drank alone. There was no one with me -- till, raising my cup, I asked the bright moon to bring me my shadow and make us three. Alas, the moon was unable to drink and my shadow tagged me vacantly; but still for a while I had these friends to cheer me through the end of spring.... I sang. The moon encouraged me. I danced. My shadow tumbled after. As long as I knew, we were boon companions. And then I was drunk, and we lost one another. ...Shall goodwill ever be secure? I watch the long road of the River of Stars. Adapted from a transltion by Witter Bynner |