Winding River
Each falling petal leaves spring farther behind.
Each brings a tear to my eyes.
When the last disappears from my view,
no measure of wine brings clear skies.
Kingfishers frequent the hall on the river.
Unicorns lie, resting before the royal sarcophagi.
Joy is the truth when studying nature,
with no reason to bring sorrow’s sigh.
This poem is my response to Poetics: China – Kingdom of the Poem, the prompt from Laura Bloomsbury at dVerse ~ Poets Pub, which asks us to re-interpret one of five given ancient Chinese poems. She gives the option to do so in our own style or the Lüshi style. I have chosen the latter, which differs from the style I have used in the many Chinese Interpretations I have done in the past, where I’ve rephrased the raw literal translation given at Chinese Poems in a way that varies only slightly from the “finished” version offered there. Here, I have used the Lüshi style style for Winding River, by Tu Fu. In fact, I re-interpreted this poemWinding River No 1 in that other manner for National Poetry Writing Month in 2017. I look forward to reading the other responses to this prompt.
The Chinese Lüshi style:
• eight lines long of couplets – The first couplet should set-up the poem;
the middle two couplets develop the theme, the final couplet is conclusion
• each line must have the same number of words, either 5, 6, or 7.
• a mono-rhyme is on every even numbered line
• Caesura (a pause) should separate clauses.
Winding River (Tu Fu)
Each piece of flying blossom leaves spring the less,
I grieve as myriad points float in the wind.
I watch the last ones move before my eyes,
And cannot have enough wine pass my lips.
Kingfishers nest by the little hall on the river,
Unicorns lie at the high tomb’s enclosure.
Having studied the world, one must seek joy,
For what use is the trap of passing honour?
Image source: Cedar Gallery
Kingfisher, by Tsukioka Kōgyo
Lovely interpretation and I love your photo choice!
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Thank you!
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I like how yours turned out Ken. Was trying to work with the same one but so far, nothing🙂. You made it look easy.
Pat
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Thank you, Pat. This is the first time I’ve tried to do one with rhyme.
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Well done!
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I love the image you chose to accompany and particularly like how you interpreted the last two lines.
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Thank you, Lisa.
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You’re welcome.
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You’ve interpreted this beautifully Ken.
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🙂 Thank you, Ingrid.
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You actually rhymed the word “sarcophagi”?
🤯
David
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Somebody had to! 😉
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I love the way you have invoked the sound of crying and sighing through the end rhymes, Ken, and the opening line is stunning.
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Thank you!
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Nice lushi interpretation
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Thanks, Ron.
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a great interpretation of the original and bravo for the Lushi style too
“no measure of wine brings clear skies.” – a profound and brilliant line
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Thank you, Laura.
And thank you for the prompt. 🙂
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This is incredibly stunning! I applaud you for taking on the Chinese Lüshi style 😀 and doing such a great job of it. Especially love; “Joy is the truth when studying nature,with no reason to bring sorrow’s sigh.” Yes! 💝💝
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Thank you, Sanaa. 🙂 I’ve always enjoyed doing these.
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I can feel the sorrow when the petals are falling… we still have early spring, and tomorrow they are saying it may snow.
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The same here. Midwest and eastern states got snow this week. Thanks, Björn.
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A very nice reinterpretation of the poem Ken.
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Thank you, sir.
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This poem gets me in a sentimental state. Enchanting read and was impressed that you could rhyme with the word sarcophagi! 👏👏
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Thank you. I was sort of cornered into that rhyme. 😉
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To me your interpretation combines the wisdom, beauty and melancholia of the original. Lovey work.
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Thank you. 🙂
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