Great Works I: Remixing Memory

The first difference I noticed between the poems was the part when they describe her husband leaving her. Focusing on Pound said “You dragged your feet when you went”. From Pound I’m portraying her husband doesn’t want to go as stated “Dragged your feet”. You can get that  he doesn’t want to leave his wife. And W.J.B Fletcher “That Parting at Ch’ang Kan” and Ezra Li Po “The River-Merchant’s Wife: A Letter” descriptions they both paints two different sceneries. Fletcher Stated “Before the door, where stood your parting feet”(19). Reading this line you catch no emotion from her husband.

The Second difference I captured was between Pounds poem and Shigeyoshi Obata “Two Letters From Chang-Kan-I”. Looking at Pound’s poem she stated “At sixteen you departed” (15). And for that same scene Obata translated it as “I was sixteen when you went on a long journey” (18). Pound’s doesn’t have much description in her sentence, But as you read Obata you get details. That he didn’t just left he actually went faraway from her. The advantage about Obata poem you can feel the depression from that line that her husband is going to be away for a while.

Lastly paying attention to the end of the poems to the line where the wife states that she will wait for him and meet him, tmost of them states where she wants to meet her husband. “Ch’ang Kan”  it said “I will go straight until I reach the Long Wind Sands” (30) and Fletcher has “Across the sand the wind flies straight to greet”(30).  In my opinion Fletcher is describing this place call “Long Winds Sand”.

From reading all the translation of Chang Kan, I have to say Shigeyoshi Obata “Two Letters From Chang-Kan-I” is my favorite. I was able to understand the intentions of the poem better and understand what line meant, as to comparing it to W.J.B Fletcher who’s poem was written in an ancient time language.