“There is no remedy
for love but to love more.” - Henry DavidThoreau
Today I give you a poem that I have based on a short verse by Chinese poet Ping Hsin, which I have recast in the form of a septet (3, 5, 7, 9, 7, 5, 3 syllables):
Chinese Septet
To escape
From thoughts of my love
I run, haunted, from my room.
Outside, the silver moon makes snow gleam -
But gnarled twigs throw shadows on
Shining snow, spelling:
Love, love, love…
After Ping Hsin
Ping Hsin was born in 1902 in Fuchien, the daughter of a naval officer. Ping Hsin’s real name is Hsieh Wang’ying, and her nom-de-plume “Ping Hsin” means “Ice Heart”. She was educated both in her father’s library and later in Peking. She graduated from Yenching University in 1923 and during 1923 -1926 attended Wellesley College where she obtained her her MA. She returned to teach at Yenching. In 1951 she and her husband Wu Wen-tsao, a sociologist, returned to the mainland, where until the Cultural Revolution in 1964 she was active in many literary organisations. Fond of Tagore, she wrote “” (1921), which she claimed was not poetry. Although she also claimed in 1931 that she did not understand “modern poetry” her publications launched her as a leading modern Chinese poet.
Today I give you a poem that I have based on a short verse by Chinese poet Ping Hsin, which I have recast in the form of a septet (3, 5, 7, 9, 7, 5, 3 syllables):
Chinese Septet
To escape
From thoughts of my love
I run, haunted, from my room.
Outside, the silver moon makes snow gleam -
But gnarled twigs throw shadows on
Shining snow, spelling:
Love, love, love…
After Ping Hsin
Ping Hsin was born in 1902 in Fuchien, the daughter of a naval officer. Ping Hsin’s real name is Hsieh Wang’ying, and her nom-de-plume “Ping Hsin” means “Ice Heart”. She was educated both in her father’s library and later in Peking. She graduated from Yenching University in 1923 and during 1923 -1926 attended Wellesley College where she obtained her her MA. She returned to teach at Yenching. In 1951 she and her husband Wu Wen-tsao, a sociologist, returned to the mainland, where until the Cultural Revolution in 1964 she was active in many literary organisations. Fond of Tagore, she wrote “” (1921), which she claimed was not poetry. Although she also claimed in 1931 that she did not understand “modern poetry” her publications launched her as a leading modern Chinese poet.
I really enjoyed the concept of this, Nick. "Love, love, love" is so important.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely gorgeous!
ReplyDelete