Thoughts While Traveling at Night vs. If I Lose Myself Tonight
When I read “Thoughts While Travelling at Night” by Du Fu, I am instantly reminded by the song “If I Lose Myself Tonight.” Originally by OneRepublic, I think of this cover of the song by Madilyn Bailey and Corey Gray. The original song is a little bit more upbeat with the EDM remix even moreso. This rendition of the song sets a somber mood, very similar to the mood of the poem.
I stared up at the sun
Thought of all the people, places and things I’ve loved
I stared up just to see
Of all the faces,
You are the one next to meYou can feel the light start to tremble
Washing what you know out to sea
You can see your life out of the window, tonight
These verses mention elements of nature, such as the sun and the sea. They mirror the poem with the mentioning of natural elements as seen below:
Light breeze on the fine grass.I stand alone at the mast.Stars leap on the vast wild plain.Moon bobs in the Great River’s spate.
The song could just as well be titled “Thoughts While Travelling at Night” because the artist sings about thoughts that fit the song’s title perfectly. The singer sings about losing herself if the one she loves is not with her. I found this parallel to Du Fu’s poem because he writes as if he is lost with no direction; almost like there’s something missing in his life. Although it might not necessarily be a love lost like the song, there’s still a missing element that he feels he needs to fill.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NP7nK2zPirc
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