Ancient Literature in our Modern World

  While reading Li Bo’s Drinking Alone with the Moon, an overwhelming feeling of escape came over me.

 

A pot of wine among the flowers

I drink alone, no friends with me.

I raise my cup to invite the moon.

He and my shadow and I make three.

These lines remind me of how I felt when I heard Sia’s Chandelier

Click to view Sia’s Chandelier video.

(The video does not reflect the lyrics exactly)

One two three one two three drink

One two three one two three drink

One two three one two three drink

throw’em back till I lose count

In both pieces the you feel the the writer attempting to escape reality with the help of alcohol.  Li Bo’s escape has him in the middle of woods near a river drinking alone, while Sia is drinking at a bar having one after another until she loses count.  Both excerpts could be interpreted as someone just having a drink until the next line of both pieces.

Li Bo:

The moon does not know how to drink;

My shadow mimes my capering’

But I’ll make merry with them both-

An soon enough it will be Spring

I sing-the moon moves to and fro.

I dance-my shadow leaps and sways.

Still sober, we exchange our joys

Drunk-and we’ll go our separate ways

Sia:

I’m gonna swing from the chandelier, from the chandelier

I’m gonna live like tomorrow doesn’t exist like it doesn’t exist

I’m gonna fly like the birds of the night feel my tears as they dry

I’m gonna swing from the chandelier, from the chandelier

Well I’m holding on for dear life

wont look down wont open my eyes

keep my glass full until morning light

cause I’m just holding on for tonight

Li Bo is clearing escaping reality by giving life to the moon and his shadow and human qualities.  The moon is dancing with him while his shadow leaps and sways.  knowing that he is alone also adds to the feeling or the perception of escaping reality.  Sia speaks of swinging from a chandelier drunk and compares it to flying like a bird in the night while drying tears from her eyes.  In both pieces the you can’t necessarily tell if they are escaping something traumatic or maybe celebrating a joyous occasion.  I could and maybe would enjoy both actions for positive and negative situations.  Being so drunk that you imagine the moon and your shadow are part of your party as well as swinging from a chandelier could spell out a great night if a positive situation caused the drinking, but if something negative caused it, this behavior could lead to much worse situations.

I was going through a rough time and this song helped me get through it.  the last verse of the song feels like the last 2 lines of Li Bo’s poem.

Li Bo:

Lets pledge-beyond human ties-to be friends,

and meet where the Silver River ends.

Sia:

On for tonight
‘Cause I’m just holding on for tonight
Oh, I’m just holding on for tonight
On for tonight
On for tonight
‘Cause I’m just holding on for tonight
‘Cause I’m just holding on for tonight
Oh, I’m just holding on for tonight
On for tonight
On for tonight

Ending both pieces like this gives me the impression that its to escape something negative.  Li Bo making a pledge with his shadow and the moon to be friends beyond human ties and Sia saying shes just holding on for tonight suggests that there was something both Li Bo and Sia was trying to escape and drinking allowed it to happen.  I was escaping negative feelings when I would listen to Sia’s song.  The holding on for tonight was me trying to remain in that place where I was happy before all the changes.  The alcohol allowed me to believe, even if for a few hours that it was not happening.