When You Say Nothing At All / Sitting Alone By Jinting Mountain

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.