Poetry Circle of the Air: Chinese Poet Li Ch'ing Chao (1084-1151)
March 19, 2006 Sunday 3PM CT
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This hour, it's the Here On Earth Spring Poetry Circle of the Air with Jean Feraca and guest poet, Molly Peacock, featuring Chinese poetry from the eleventh century.
Guest
- Molly Peacock, author of "Cornucopia: New and Selected Poems," and the creator of the one-woman show, "The Shimmering Verge," based on her poetry.
- Q. Lisa Bu, web producer of Here on Earth, graduate student at University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Poem to Be Discussed
A SONG OF DEPARTURE
By Li Ch'ing Chao, translated by Kenneth Rexroth
Warm rain and soft breeze by turns
Have just broken
And driven away the chill.
Moist as the pussy willows,
Light as the plum blossoms,
Already I feel the heart of Spring vibrating.
But now who will share with me
The joys of wine and poetry?
Tears streak my rouge.
My hairpins are too heavy.
I put on my new quilted robe
Sewn with gold thread
And throw myself against a pile of pillows,
Crushing my phoenix hairpins.
Alone, all I can embrace is my endless sorrow.
I know a good dream will never come.
So I stay up till past midnight
Trimming the lamp flower's smoking wick.
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