thinking of Li Bai at the edge of the sky

thinking of Li Bai at the edge of the sky

cold winds arise here at the edge of the sky;
noble friend, what news do you have to send me?

will the swan geese return in their season?
rivers & lakes swell now with the autumn rains

poetry detests the life of attainment,
& demons take their delight in those who stray

you should speak with that other wronged poet’s ghost,
cast a poem as offering into the Miluo 


based on Du Fu: 天末懷李白
tiān mò huái lĭ bái


Note: The poem is of course addressed to Du Fu’s great contemporary, Li Bai, who had been exiled (& narrowly escaped a death sentence) as a result of the turmoil caused by the An Lushan rebellion; this upheaval also had displaced Du Fu to the southern edge of the empire.

Additionally, the “other wronged poet” referred to in the final couplet is Qu Yuan, a poet from the “Warring States” period who lived during the late 4th & early 3rd centuries BCE. Like Li Bai, Qu Yuan was exiled during a period of turmoil, & finally committed ritual suicide by throwing himself into the Miluo River in Hunan province. Qu Yuan is an important mytho-historical figure, & indeed, the Dragon Boat Festival is held to commemorate him. See also the reference to Qu Yuan in Du Fu’s “deep winter”.


Image links to its source on Wiki Commons:
Painting (cropped) of the ancient Chinese poet Qu Yuan by the late Ming era painter Chen Hongshou.  c. 1598-1652
Public domain