The autumn air is clear,
The autumn moon is bright,
Leaves that have fallen gather and scatter,
Jackdaws roost and start anew.
The autumn moon is bright,
Leaves that have fallen gather and scatter,
Jackdaws roost and start anew.
Yearning for each other, when shall we meet again?
It is hard to love this night
~Li Bai
(701-762)
秋 風 清
秋 月 明
落 葉 聚 還 散
寒 鴉 棲 复 驚
相 思 相 見 知 何 日
此 時 此 夜 難 為 情
~李白
ed. note (from Wikipedia:)
Much of Li's life is reflected in his poetry: places which he visited, friends whom he saw off on journeys to distant locations perhaps never to meet again, his own dream-like imaginations embroidered with shamanic overtones, current events of which he had news, descriptions taken from nature in a timeless moment of poetry, and so on. However, of particular importance are the changes in the times through which he lived. His early poetry took place in the context of a "golden age" of internal peace and prosperity in the Chinese empire of the Tang dynasty, under the reign of an emperor who actively promoted and participated in the arts. This all changed suddenly and shockingly, beginning with the rebellion of the general An Lu Shan, when all of northern China was devastated by war and famine. Li's poetry as well takes on new tones and qualities. Unlike his younger friend Du Fu, Li did not live to see the quelling of these disorders. However, much of Li's poetry has survived, retaining enduring popularity in China and elsewhere.
photo: ti leaves
print made from a photograph
(c) (image only) 2010 bruce behnke