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    AC Benus
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Poetry posted in this category are works of fiction. Names, places, characters, events, and incidents are created by the authors' imaginations or are used fictitiously. Any resemblances to actual persons (living or dead), organizations, companies, events, or locales are entirely coincidental.
Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you. 

Translation Trashbin - 23. Parting from Him

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Tang Dynasty poet Li Bai wrote one the greatest same-sex love poems of all time. This verse is well known, but hopefully you like my translation too :)

 

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送友人

李白

 

青山橫北郭,

白水繞東城。

此地一為別;

孤蓬萬里征。

浮雲游子意

落日故人情。

揮手自茲去

蕭蕭班馬鳴。

 

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Parting from Him

Li Bai

 

Blue Mountains roam beyond the town’s north wall,

As water runs clear to the city’s east.

We’ve come to this spot – just to separate;

Lone dandelions on thousand-mile trips.

And travelers’ cloudy thoughts often feel

Like sunsets parting dear friends and their love.

While calling back to each other, our shouts

Sound like colts separated from the herd.

 

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Copyright © 2018 AC Benus; All Rights Reserved.
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Poetry posted in this category are works of fiction. Names, places, characters, events, and incidents are created by the authors' imaginations or are used fictitiously. Any resemblances to actual persons (living or dead), organizations, companies, events, or locales are entirely coincidental.
Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you. 
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  On 3/18/2019 at 2:18 AM, Mikiesboy said:

This is so sad. Beautiful. Lovers know they are to go their separate ways ... and colts separated.. it's a pitful picture.  One hopes they will meet again.  Thanks AC xoxoxo for sharing.

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Thanks for reading this one, Tim. I agree that the images in this poem are all so strong and clear. Li Bai was known for that, that and loving his wine and boys -- yes, he's the Chinese Omar Khayyam :) 

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  On 3/18/2019 at 6:44 AM, Lyssa said:

An amazing translation, the pictures are beautiful and strong and touching. It is like hearing the departing voices as echo even after one has finished reading. Magnificent. Muha

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Yes, and it reaches across time. These love echoes heard by us as strong as ever, even though the actual parting happened in the 700s. 

Did I mention, I love poetry :yes: Thanks again, Lyssa

Edited by AC Benus
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  On 3/18/2019 at 1:57 PM, Parker Owens said:

What beautiful images this poet brings to my mind. Li Bai made the lightest thing - dandelion down - into such a powerful emotive idea. Sunsets and  young colts become icons of the sorrow of parting. Thank you for bringing us this. 

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Thank you, Parker. I am teaching myself more about traditional Chinese poetry. As you may have noticed (or not :) ), this poem is a series of couplets. Apparently, the aesthetic goal was to create individual units of poetry (the couplets) that are self-contained, complete and present their own unique imagery. The artistry was how these several couplets changed the reader in the progress of reading them, and created a unified whole as a single poem. There is much artistry in how Li Bai does it here, and it's inspiring to learn about it.       

  On 3/19/2019 at 11:08 AM, Defiance19 said:

A fantastic, striking and powerful, translation, AC. 

 

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I try my best, Def. Translations are always hard, and like here, it's the simplest things that are the hardest. Like the title of this poem uses a pair of characters that is usually whitewashed in English as a generic "friend." The one character alone can mean friend, but in the subtlety of the combination lies a relationship that is much deeper; 'a long-time companion' would be more accurate, but of course that -- longtime companion -- nowadays is rendered less guardedly as simply partner or boyfriend. So, I decided the phrase "from him" in the title sets the reader's mindset at the correct starting position for the poem :)

Thanks for reading. I always appreciate hearing what you have to say.

 

Edited by AC Benus
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