Asian Geographic Issue 03/2017 (125) | Page 3

timeless
Hard Is the
Journey
By Li Po
Translated by Arthur Cooper
Gold vessels of fine wines,
thousands a gallon,
Jade dishes of rare meats,
costing more thousands, At peace I drop a hook
into a brooklet,
At once I’m in a boat
but sailing sunward…
I lay my chopsticks down,
no more can banquet,
And draw my sword and stare
wildly about me: (Hard is the Journey,
hard is the Journey,
So many turnings,
and now where am I?)
Ice bars my way to cross
the Yellow River,
Snows from dark skies to climb
the T’ai-hang Mountains! So when a breeze breaks waves,
bringing fair weather,
I set a cloud for sails,
cross the blue oceans!
IMAGE © GETT Y IMAGES
LI PO, or Li Bai, born in 701AD, was one of
the foremost poets during the Tang Dynasty
in China, developing poetic art and writing
around 1,000 poems. Alongside his fellow
poet, Du Fu, Li Po’s work signalled a golden
age in Chinese poetry. He spent much of his
life wandering from place to place, meeting
new people on his travels, and drinking a
great deal of wine! In fact, it was probably the
drink that killed him in 762AD.