Monthly Archives: February 2015

The poem Bring In the Wine depicts a joyous, merry environment filled with people drinking and experiencing satisfaction and pleasure in their actions. It describes that neither money nor physical possessions compare with a group of people drinking and laughing.

“And only the greatest drinkers have a fame that lingers on!” demonstrates the poem’s perspective that individuals who are drinking and joyous will be more successful individuals that will leave a legacy behind.

I found the song “Pass The Courvoisier” by Busta Rhymes relates to the poem “Bring in the wine” for many reasons. In the song you have several different rappers singing about how good they feel while they are drinking and drunk. These are individuals that can have anything they want but they choose to have one thing and one thing only and that is Corvoissoer which is a type of  cognac. Throughout the song each of the rappers talk about all the materialistic things they have but in the chorus below they both rap about how they would rather have the Courvoisier.

Give me the Henny, you can give me the Cris
You can pass me the Remi, but the pass the Courvoisier

Give me the ass, you could give me the dough
You can give me ‘dro, but pass the Courvoisier
Give me some money, you can give me some cars
But you can give me the bitch make sure you pass the Courvoisier
Give me some shit, you can give me the cribs
You can give me whatever just pass the Courvoisier

I chose to compare the short poem Sitting Alone By Jingting Mountain translated by Stephen Owen to Ronan Keating’s song “When You Say Nothing At All”.

The flocks of birds have flown high and away,
A solitary cloud goes off calmly alone.
We look at each other and never get bored-
Just me and Jingting Mountain.

The uniqueness of Jingting Mountain is it’s never ending inspiration for poets. It can keep attracting one without boredom. When I read this short poem,the impression I got out of this is the appreciation the poet has for being entertained by just the scenery. The mountain proves to be self sufficient even though he is by himself. The poem relates to the song in that both pieces describe an appreciation for attraction through silence. The following is a verse from the song:

It’s amazing how you
Can speak right to my heart.
Without saying a word
You can light up the dark.

Try as I may, I could never explain
What I hear when you don’t say a thing.

The smile on your face
Lets me know that you need me.
There’s a truth in your eyes
Saying you’ll never leave me.

This verse is pretty much self explanatory. Though it is a love song, the singer is amazed at how he can be enchanted by his lover without her saying a word. The object of his desire, her smile, is able to grab his attention. This correlates to how the Jingting Mountain itself can fascinate the poet without words.

I would like compare ‘Drinking Alone with the Moon’ by Li Bo with Chungsan-Byulgok, by unknown writer.

Lyrics of Chungsan-Byulgok. (I can not find any English translated version of this song. So i just roughly translate it by myself. Sorry)

살겠노라 살겠노라. 청산에 살겠노라.                                                                                                   ( I will live, I will live at the Blue Mountain)
머루랑 다래를 먹고 청산에 살겠노라.                                                                                                 (I will live at the Blue Mountain, by eating mountain barres)

우는구나 우는구나 새여, 자고 일어나 우는구나 새여.
너보다 시름 많은 나도 자고 일어나 울고 있노라.                                                                              (A bird is crying, right after it waked up, it cry. I have more concerns than birds, so i cry too.

가는 새 가는 새 본다. 물 아래로 날아가는 새 본다.
이끼 묻은 쟁기를 가지고, 물 아래로 날아가는 새 본다.                                                                     (I just see the bird, a bird fly under the water. I hold my plow on my shoulder, i just see the bird fly under the water.)

이럭저럭 하여 낮은 지내 왔건만,
올 사람도 갈 사람도 없는 밤은 또 어찌할 것인가.
(I just barely pass the day, but how can i endure the night that no one will visit me and i have no place to visit.)

어디다 던지는 돌인가, 누구를 맞히려는 돌인가.
미워할 이도 사랑할 이도 없이 맞아서 울고 있노라.                                                                       (Why some one throw the stone, there is no hated one or loved one. Just one person got hit and cry.)

살겠노라 살겠노라. 바다에 살겠노라.
나문재, 굴, 조개를 먹고 바다에 살겠노라.                                                                                         (I will live, I will live at the sea. I will live at the sea, by eating clams and oysters)

가다가 가다가 듣노라. 외딴 부엌을 지나가다가 듣노라.
사슴이 장대에 올라가서 해금을 켜는 것을 듣노라.                                                                      (During i just pass the old kitchen, i just listen the song. He-gum(Korean instruments) Song by a dear, dear on the top of a tall pole)

가더니 불룩한 술독에 진한 술을 빚는구나.
조롱박꽃 모양의 누룩이 매워 (나를) 붙잡으니 나는 어찌하리.                                                      (When i get there, i found a pot of strong wine.                                                                          Just a pot of wine stops me, What should i do)

Chungsan-Byulgok is old Korean poem/song. This song have very similar feeling for me In both song/poem, singer experienced some hardness of life, pain or loneliness. So, in both poem/sing, they talk about what they want to have.

“and soon enough it will be Spring.” in the ‘Drinking Alone with the Moon,’ by Li Bo, This sentence show us how the singer feel. In this sentence he uses Spring, the new start of all nature and live. It may mean by drinking alone with nature, he feels refreshing and revive. However we have to think again, because before Spring(While he is drinking alone), season is winter. Season of end of year, cold and also death. So, before he start drinking, he should be lonely or he have some kind of problem makes him uncomfortable.  By drinking, he feels better, and in the last verse, he talk about what he want, “Let’s pledge-beyond human ties-to be friends, And meet where the Silver River ends.” This part may mean what the writer really want, friends without human ties.

Chungsan-Byulgok is a song about harshness of life, and Utopia. In this song/poem, The Blue mountain and the Sea are Utopia for the writer. By “(I just barely pass the day, but how can i endure the night that no one will visit me and i have no place to visit.)” and “(Why some one throw the stone, there is no hated one or loved one. Just one person got hit and cry.)” verses, we can easily notice the writer is very lonely and have a harsh life. So he/she want to live at the ‘Blue Mountain’ where he/she will not suffered by harsh life and loneliness. “( Just a pot of wine stops me, What should i do?)” this verse may mean he/she is suffered in their life and can not get to the Blue mountain, so they just drink wine and forget about harshness of life for a short time.

Writers from both poem/song have problem with life and may feels lonely. So, they made a song/poem about what they really want to have, Li Bo want to have a Friendship with out ties each other, and Chungsan-Byulgok writer want to live at the Blue Mountain and the Sea where he will not suffered by harshness of life and loneliness. It may not connected in sense of similarity of what they want, but i feel both of them are similar because they are both lonely and  want to have a things they don’t have.  Also wine make them forget about things make them suffer in both poem/song.

The poem “Thoughts While Traveling at Night” by Wang Zhaojun is similar to the song “Travel” by Atmosphere. These two pieces are similar in that they both describe traveling a distance and utilize nature as a marker of progress. In the song by Atmosphere, the singer uses various landmarks and geographical indicators that are unique to different states to detail the travel. Wang Zhaohjun uses a very similar technique, particularly when describing “the fine grass,” “the vast plain,” and the “Great River.” These descriptions are analogous to Atmosphere’s description of “fruited plains,” “earth quakes of the west coast,” and the “gardens of Baltimore.” In both instances, the authors utilize imagery to assist the reader in relating to the travel which they are describing and to indicate motion. Also, the authors both describe their travels as “drifting.” I did not get the sense that the traveling was very purposeful, it seems as though they are traveling without regard to any specific goal or outcome. The language used in both pieces is also very dreary. It is obvious that that the authors are not very enthusiastic. They seem to be very passive in their travels and willing to take any path that presents itself, rather than a planned out trip with the intentions of going somewhere in particular.

In response to Steven’s post connecting “Question and Answer in the Mountains” to Cudi Zone by Kid Cudi, I agree that both pieces seem to be very peaceful and carefree. I get a very calm feeling while both reading the poem and listening to the song. I think that Steven made a very good connection and I agree that both pieces induce a feeling a calmness, especially the two lines, “my heart is at ease” in the poem and “Im feeling alright” in the song. These two lines represent the tone of both pieces very well.

Travel by Atmosphere: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSAlAfW73Lw

In the Quiet Night

The floor before my bed is bright:

Moonlight– like hoarfrost– in my room.

I lift my head and watch the moon.

I drop my head and think of home.

The poem to me depicts a man who is lonely at night and misses home. I also know this from prior knowledge as I have studied the Chinese version of this poem in the past. The back story to this poem resides in a poet who has traveled very far in search of happiness and knowledge. This poem expresses the poets feeling as he looks at the moon. The moon being something that is a constant at night and this reminds him of the same moon he saw at home. The message that I got from the poem is that no matter how much you see or where you are in your life you will always remember home and the feeling it brings.

Jay Chou: Dao Xiang 稻香

If you have too many complaints towards this world
When you fall down you don’t dare to continue walking forward
Why must people be so weak, depraved
I ask you to turn on the TV and see
How many people bravely do their best to continue walking for life
Shouldn’t we be content with what we have?
You should cherish everything even if you don’t possess it

I still remember you said your home was the only castle, you continue to run along with the fragrance of rice and the flowing river
Smiling, the dreams when you were young, I know
Don’t cry, let the fireflies lead you to escape, folk songs in the country, you can always rely on them
Just go home
Go back to the happiness at the very start

Don’t be so easy to give up, it’s just like I say
For dreams you can’t achieve, switch it for another and it’ll be fine
Put some colour into your life, firstly paint the colour you like on love
Come on and smile, merit and fame aren’t the goals
Let yourself be happy, this is what you call meaning
The paper airplane from my childhood, it’s finally flown back to my hand now
That so called happiness, running barefoot in the fields chasing dragonflies and getting tired
Picking fruits without permission and getting scared from being stung by bees, who’s sniggering?

I lean on the scarecrow while being blown by the wind while singing while sleeping
Oh oh, in the afternoon the sound of the guitar is clearer among the buzzing of bugs
Oh oh, if the sunshine sprinkles on the road then I won’t be afraid of being broken-hearted
You should cherish everything even if you don’t possess it

I still remember you said your home was the only castle, you continue to run along with the fragrance of rice and the flowing river
Smiling, dreams when you were young, I know
Don’t cry, let the fireflies lead you to escape, folk songs in the country, you can always rely on them
Just go home
Go back to the happiness at the very start

I chose this song because it gives a similar message to my interpretation of the poem.This song for me clicked really well with the poem. The setting of the poem has like almost an ominous feel to it, almost upsetting. This is very well reflected about the hardships written in the songs. Moving from the eerie aspect we reference the moon from the poem. To me the moon references this thing that reminds the author of their childhood which is reflected by the fragrance of rice in the song. Lastly, I think is the main point that connects them both which is the sense of home. I think that both the song and the poem reflects the strong Chinese value of home. Home is where the heart is at and when you are down that is where your thoughts go.

Deer Enclosure

“Empty Mountain, no man is seen.

Only heard are echoes of men’s talk.

Reflected light enters the deep wood

And shines again on blue-green moss.”

This is a very short poem, which can have many different meanings to it. To my understanding, the poet is at his emotional state in life and seeks a place in the nature where he can put his thoughts together with no one around. He goes to the mountain with the hope to find peace and quiet to think about the shot he had missed in life and what he can do in order to get another chance to do things right.

To me, this poem relates to the song “Lose Yourself” by Eminem. He raps about taking every chance because it may be the only one you get. He also raps about how he has been through a lot of struggles and a lot of pain to get where he is today, and even though he missed his first shot at life, he still got a second chance and went right for it.

“Coast to coast shows, he’s know as the globetrotter

Lonely roads, God only knows

He’s grown farther from home, he’s no father

He goes home and barely knows his own daughter”

This verse relates greatly to the poem by Wang Wei because he raps about being lonely. A person may look like they have everything on the outside but only he and God know how lonely his soul is may be.

The narrator in the poem wanted to find a peaceful place and he decided to go to the mountain to think about his life and how he can get another opportunity to make things right so he can be where he wants to be.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmXumtgwtak

i feel that the tang poem “drinking alone with the moon” written by Li Bai can be related to the song “here comes a regular” by The Replacement. the reason i picked this song is because it reminded me a little of the tang poem ; the man drinking under the moon appears to be a loner a person who prefers to be alone in the poem it says

Among the blossoms waits a jug of wine.
I pour myself a drink, no loved one near.
Raising my cup, I invite the bright moon
and turn to my shadow.

this shows the loner characteristic in this individual and how he doesn’t want to drink with a loved one or anyone for that fact because he instead invites the moon and his shadow to come drink with him. in the song “here comes a regular” he mentions that he didn’t want to be around other individuals that where other loudmouths and perhaps wanting to drink alone.

And sometimes I just ain’t in the mood
to take my place in back with the loudmouths.

this tells us that he doesn’t want to drink with others and probably prefers to drink alone instead of drink with other people who are probably embarrassing or straight out rude. both the sections of the poem and the song show me that the relationship that they share is that they both are loners and both are regular drinkers . i believe the only difference between the two is that one is artistic person who drinks for fun and creativity while the other is an alcoholic who is being irresponsible.

Comparison of “Spending the Night in a Tower by the River” & “I’m Not Alone”

After reading “Spending the Night in a Tower by the River” by Tu Fu I was reminded of the song “I’m Not Alone” by Calvin Harris. In “Spending the Night” the narrator is situated in the study on top tower observing his surroundings. Tu Fu’s poem invokes a sense of contemplation and isolation. The song “I’m Not Alone” also invokes a sense of reflection, isolation, and nostalgia.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7KaMBXEXBA

In “I’m Not Alone” the singer is constantly asking if he can keep up with his lifestyle while trying to convince himself that he is not alone. I think the narrator in Tu Fu’s poem is alone at night without being able to sleep because he “[worries] over battles.” Both works invoke a sense of being insignificant in the universe. The last line of “Spending the Night” is “I have no strength to right the universe.” The narrator feels that he is to small to correct the wrongs in the universe. That same feeling is shown in “I’m Not Alone” when the singer sings:

God, I can’t do this any more
Though I’ll be laid down on the floor
As many feet walk through the door
I’m not alone.

Tu Fu’s poem was written around the year c. 760, while “I’m Not Alone” was written 2009. It is interesting that throughout time humans have always questioned their significance in the universe, only to realize that we are very small and almost insignificant in the spectrum. I enjoyed reading Tu Fu’s poem because his style was easy to read which allows you to transport to the narrator’s point of view.

The song that reminds me of the Tang poem, “Question and Answer in the Mountains” is “Cudi Zone” by Kid Cudi. The mood of the poem is very carefree and calm. The person in the poem doesn’t even answer the question with words but with just a smile. “I smile and don’t reply; my heart’s at ease.” is very similar to the lyrics of Kid Cudi’s.  In Kid Cudi’s song, “Cudi Zone’ he mentions, “When I zone, I’m feeling alright. I forget about it all.” These two characters seem to be in nirvana and are in no hurry to be out of it. Kid Cudi also mentions, “ I could find peace somewhere” which is something I feel the character in Tang’s poem has already found.

In the second half of “Question and Answer in the Mountain”,

“Peach blossoms flow downstream, leaving no trace.

And there are other earths and skies than these.”

It seems this character is in another zone himself in which no one else can see or penetrate. Kid Cudi is in his zone and he clearly describes that with,

“I’ll be zonin’ all alone.

And then the place where my mind is going.

Filled with songs that no one’s knowin.”

These two characters are both floating away in perhaps their own dream world or even a different dimension, who knows? The only thing that’s certain is their mind is at ease and carefree.