Thursday 29 October 2015

Hsieh T'iao: Viewing the Three Lakes

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File:Lake Vuoksa 1.jpg
island in Lake Vuoksa, on the Karelian Isthmus separating Russia and Finland: photo by Dmitry A. Mottl, 2009

Red clouds mirrored where the waters meet.
From the red terrace -- birds returning,
the encircling plains, mosaic of river isles.
Inklings of spring's luxuriance
as autumn's last yellows fade.

Dusk falling, and sadness
over friends.  No ending
to this connectedness.

Hsieh T'iao (464-499): Viewing the Three Lakes, English version by Barry Taylor, 2015


File:Small Island in Lower Saranac Lake.jpg

Small island in Lower Saranac Lake, Adirondack Mountains: photo by Mwanner, 2007

File:Rila 7 lakes circus panorama edit2.jpg

Panoramic View of the Seven Rila Lakes, Rila Mountains, Bulgaria: photo by Anthony Ganev, 1 July 2007; image by Fir0002, 13 October 2008

 

The first turn of the Yangtze (Changjiang = Yangzi Kiang), at Shigu, Yunnan Province: photo by Jialiang Gao, 2003
 
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e7/Pogled_kum_ezerata_ot_biloto.JPG

View towards four of the Seven Rila Lakes -- Dolnoto, Ribnoto, Trilistnika and Bliznaka -- in the Rila Mountains of Bulgaria: photo by Ivelin Minkov, 17 September 2006
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7 comments:

  1. TC29 October 2015 at 13:44

    Difficult time here, particularly grateful therefore to the long distance company of brilliant friends made through this blog -- thank you Barry!

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  2. vazambam (Vassilis Zambaras)29 October 2015 at 14:40

    Wonderful poem and translation; wonderful having you as a friend, Tom.

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  3. tpw29 October 2015 at 15:11

    Dear TC: I'm always astonished at the breadth of your knowledge, your range of interests, and the keenness of your eye. I feel that opening the "Beyond the Pale" door every day has taught me so much about people and the planet we're hurling around on. Thank you for all that.

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  4. Unknown29 October 2015 at 15:32

    Tom, I love serendipities. Today's lakes and the sage poem, and just as I was editing this poem for a book. Would that our dire crises could catch a bit of rainwater/glacier melt/whatever, and just lie back in the rocks and soak in the air and sunlight... (with an echo of Vassilis' sentiments as always...)
    __________________

    ON A LAKE

    On a lake as large as
    heaven the

    ducks are as tiny
    as dots

    Whoever let the rank air into this
    perfect perfection?

    A thief with rainbow
    gauze over half his

    face who walks
    sideways and takes

    daylight with him

    But just one window thrown
    up in wonder

    scatters the butterflies

    until they form again
    around the sleeping maiden’s

    head

    All the old fables and tales
    have made the front

    pages of our un-modern world

    All the final adumbrations

    the fire alarm fires

    of the heart
    and the poorest heart’s rejoicings

    When we lift our eyelids beyond their
    usual frames

    we notice green vineyards
    that go on into the indefinite

    for miles beyond what
    human eyesight can

    encompass

    and angels’ song is most
    pleasant under a

    tree you’ve planted yourself from a
    sprig from the sidewalk

    and the hooing and wooing that
    goes on in their domain

    filtering down through the
    branches of that

    tree in excited
    birdsong
    _________________________
    7/9/15

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  5. Sandra29 October 2015 at 16:57

    watching those wonderful views and reading those lines we can say "life is beautiful" and more when someone makes us see it...thanks Tom!

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  6. Hazen30 October 2015 at 04:09

    Barry Taylor’s rendering of Hsieh T'iao seems perfect. What gorgeous photos! A friendship remembered and renewed is as beautiful as an autumn day.

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  7. manik sharma30 October 2015 at 08:08

    Tom,

    And we are grateful to have you. And this roomful of lakes.

    ReplyDelete