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lnhammerA cold light gathers in the dewy air.
The last sun drops behind Chu hills.
Apes screech in trees by Dongting Lake.
I am in my ‘magnolia boat.’
The broad marsh births a shining moon.
Dark mountains crowd the tumbling streams.
Lord of the Clouds, I don’t see you.
All night long, I grieve for autumn.
楚江怀古
露气寒光集，
微阳下楚丘。
猿啼洞庭树，
人在木兰舟。
广泽生明月，
苍山夹乱流。
云中君不见，
竟夕自悲秋。
Written as the first of a set of three poems, but I think in this case I won’t bother with the others at this time. The Chu River here refers to not, as usual, the Yangzi but the Xiang, which was the largest river entirely within the Warring State of Chu—it feeds into Dongting. A magnolia boat is not made of magnolia wood but rather a poeticism partaking of that flower’s elegance. The Lord of the Clouds is addressed in one of Qu Yuan’s shamanistic Nine Songs (from Songs of Chu) written in the 3rd century BCE—so, ancient when pondered in the 9th century CE. It could here be a reference to Qu Yuan himself, who drowned not far away (in neighboring Milou River).
The random transition from boating by the marshes to suddenly being close enough to see mountain streams is jarring.
—L.
The last sun drops behind Chu hills.
Apes screech in trees by Dongting Lake.
I am in my ‘magnolia boat.’
The broad marsh births a shining moon.
Dark mountains crowd the tumbling streams.
Lord of the Clouds, I don’t see you.
All night long, I grieve for autumn.
楚江怀古
露气寒光集，
微阳下楚丘。
猿啼洞庭树，
人在木兰舟。
广泽生明月，
苍山夹乱流。
云中君不见，
竟夕自悲秋。
Written as the first of a set of three poems, but I think in this case I won’t bother with the others at this time. The Chu River here refers to not, as usual, the Yangzi but the Xiang, which was the largest river entirely within the Warring State of Chu—it feeds into Dongting. A magnolia boat is not made of magnolia wood but rather a poeticism partaking of that flower’s elegance. The Lord of the Clouds is addressed in one of Qu Yuan’s shamanistic Nine Songs (from Songs of Chu) written in the 3rd century BCE—so, ancient when pondered in the 9th century CE. It could here be a reference to Qu Yuan himself, who drowned not far away (in neighboring Milou River).
The random transition from boating by the marshes to suddenly being close enough to see mountain streams is jarring.
—L.