the drunk poet

February 14, 2010

Because all things Chinese are famous today, I remembered being quite amazed in my comparative literature class while a professor was teaching us about a great Chinese poet. His name was Li Po.

Li Po is best known for the extravagant imagination and striking Taoist imagery in his poetry. But what interests me more is his great love for liquor (though I learned sooner that this isn’t so strange for a poet). There were many legends about the man, especially his artistic skills. It was said that he composed poems incredibly fast and with zero errors. His best poems speak of nature, friendship, and his love of wine. Our professor said, if I remember it correctly, that Li Po liked being drunk because it is then that he feels truly free. A bit true, I might say. One of his more famous poems is Drinking Alone by Moonlight:

    A cup of wine, under the flowering trees;
    I drink alone, for no friend is near.
    Raising my cup I beckon the bright moon,
    For her, with my shadow, will make three people.

    The moon, alas, is no drinker of wine;
    Listless, my shadow creeps about at my side.
    Yet with the moon as friend and the shadow as slave
    I must make merry before the Spring is spent.

    To the songs I sing the moon flickers her beams;
    In the dance I weave my shadow tangles and breaks.
    While we were sober, three shared the fun;
    Now we are drunk, each goes their way.
    May we long share our eternal friendship,
    And meet at last on the Cloudy River of the sky.

 

I remembered enjoying classes on Asian literature compared to the Old English ones, probably because of the similar heritage that I can relate to. Unfortunately, some of them already slipped my memory; I probably need to brush up on them again (instead of doing atro phex reviews). Asian literature is a good read. Some are characterized with seeming simplicity (like the Japanese haiku), yet with timelessness. Maybe if I get drunk, I could create one. What do you think? haha.

rocking the double celebration

The mood is festive for most people, doubly festive for the Chinese. The heart’s day and the lunar new year happen to fall on the same day (not to mention Kris Aquino’s birthday). The malls were probably ridiculously filled with people, and Tagaytay is probably a bit warmer because of the numerous lovers dating in the romantic city. I heard there’s a pyromusical today. I was on our Outer Banks vacation homes (of course, it’s not true). PJVP and I spent it rocking — playing the guitars and drums, like this:

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heart’s day trivia

Prompted by an Inquirer trivia on this commercial holiday, I looked for the origin of this day (instead of doing the usual freelacce job search) and found this on the web:

The origin of the Valentines Day is shrouded in mystery and there are varying opinions about it. Its origin has become theme of many legends. St. Valentines Day as we celebrate today has remnants of both Christian and ancient Roman traditions. According to some legends Saint Valentine served as a priest at the temple during the reign of Emperor Claudius. Claudius then had Valentine jailed for defying his decree, which outlawed marriage for young men.

Some legends have it that the Valentines Day originated from St. Valentine, a Roman who was martyred for refusing to give up Christianity on Feb. 14, 269 A.D. Today the Roman Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine, all of whom were martyred. St. Valentine may have been imprisoned and later killed for helping Christians to escape harsh punishment in Roman prisons.

There is an interesting story portraying the love affair between St. Valentine and the jailor’s daughter. St. Valentine left a farewell note for her, the note read –  “from your Valentine”. Valentine’s Day is said to have started in the Roman Empire. In ancient Rome, February 14th was a holiday to honour Juno. Juno was the Queen of the Roman Gods and Goddesses. The Romans regarded her as the Goddess of women and marriage. The following day, February 15th, began the festival of Lupercalia, in honor of Lupercus, the hunter of wolves. Legends aside, the popularity of the Valentines Day rose manifold among the people and in tune with it Pope Gelasius set aside February 14 to honor St. Valentine, the patron saint of love and romance.