酷我-北美枫

[ericcoliu]

Poem of the Week

Poem Text of Thoughts While Reading Written by Chu Hsi and Translated by Kenneth Rexroth
(A Reply to Dundas' English Garden posted at http://coviews.com/viewtopic.php?t=39127 )

The mirror of the pond gleams,
Half an acre in size.
The splendour of the sky,
And the whiteness of the clouds
Are reflected back upon themselves.
I ask the pond where I can find
Anything else as pure and transparent.
"Only in the springs of the water of life.”

My Reflection:

A Confucian Confusion

It is early morning
It is high noon
It is late night
I do things
Just as my ancestors did
I sit alone
By the lake of mind
I see your face
Beneath the water
We never get tired
Of gazing at each other
I call out to you
Silently comes an echo
I dedicate these moments
To you alone, for you
I groom myself
_________________
Time is nothing but a disquiet of the soul

[[ericcoliu]]

Poem of the Week

Poem Text of Thoughts While Reading Written by Chu Hsi and Translated by Kenneth Rexroth
(A Reply to Dundas' English Garden posted at http://coviews.com/viewtopic.php?t=39127 )

The mirror of the pond gleams,
Half an acre in size.
The splendour of the sky,
And the whiteness of the clouds
Are reflected back upon themselves.
I ask the pond where I can find
Anything else as pure and transparent.
"Only in the springs of the water of life.”

My Reflection:

A Confucian Confusion

It is early morning
It is high noon
It is late night
I do things
Just as my ancestors did
I sit alone
By the lake of mind
I see your face
Beneath the water
We never get tired
Of gazing at each other
I call out to you
Silently comes an echo
I dedicate these moments
To you alone, for you
I groom myself
_________________
Time is nothing but a disquiet of the soul

[ericcoliu]

What follows is a reply by Zindu from Poetry Connection, which is posted at http://forum.poetryconnection.net/viewtopic.php?t=22131&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

This poem immediately makes me think of the Greek myth Narcissus or The-Self Admirer. As you all know several versions of this myth have survived, but I’m more acquainted with the version in which Narcissus is cursed to know the pain of unrequited love. So he becomes entranced by his own reflection in a pool and tries to seduce the beautiful boy he sees, not realizing it was he. He realizes that it's his reflection when he tries to kiss it. Narcissus then kills himself and his body turns into a flower. This could completely be the voice of Narcissus: I see your face/Beneath the water / We never get tired/ Of gazing at each other/ I call out to you/ Silently comes an echo/ I dedicate these moments/ To you alone, for you/ I groom myself


The sense of loss is tangible whereas the only answer is the echo. And by the way there is a version where Echo the nymph falls in love with Narcisuss. Echo voice was taken from her by Hera as a punishment, so all Echo could do was to repeat the voice of another.
Loss is a complex subject and it doesn’t necessarily have to involve another person, not always. Perhaps The "I" could be grieving his own self that might for some reason have drifted away, sometimes we can be out of reach for ourselves as well.

Perhaps you didn't write this poem thinking about the myth at all, these are only my associations and thoughts when reading your poem, which I am happy that you shared with us.
_________________
Time is nothing but a disquiet of the soul

[[ericcoliu]]

What follows is a reply by Zindu from Poetry Connection, which is posted at http://forum.poetryconnection.net/viewtopic.php?t=22131&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

This poem immediately makes me think of the Greek myth Narcissus or The-Self Admirer. As you all know several versions of this myth have survived, but I’m more acquainted with the version in which Narcissus is cursed to know the pain of unrequited love. So he becomes entranced by his own reflection in a pool and tries to seduce the beautiful boy he sees, not realizing it was he. He realizes that it's his reflection when he tries to kiss it. Narcissus then kills himself and his body turns into a flower. This could completely be the voice of Narcissus: I see your face/Beneath the water / We never get tired/ Of gazing at each other/ I call out to you/ Silently comes an echo/ I dedicate these moments/ To you alone, for you/ I groom myself


The sense of loss is tangible whereas the only answer is the echo. And by the way there is a version where Echo the nymph falls in love with Narcisuss. Echo voice was taken from her by Hera as a punishment, so all Echo could do was to repeat the voice of another.
Loss is a complex subject and it doesn’t necessarily have to involve another person, not always. Perhaps The "I" could be grieving his own self that might for some reason have drifted away, sometimes we can be out of reach for ourselves as well.

Perhaps you didn't write this poem thinking about the myth at all, these are only my associations and thoughts when reading your poem, which I am happy that you shared with us.
_________________
Time is nothing but a disquiet of the soul

[clair]

[[clair]]

[dundas]

[[dundas]]

[ericcoliu]

[[ericcoliu]]

[robarts]

[[robarts]]

[温暖的水獸]

[[温暖的水獸]]