The line that begins with “The clear moon came out to the mountain pass…” seems to personify a messenger who suggests that the journey upwards alone must continue now. The fact that it arrived through a thatched gate implies its inevitability.
Perhaps a coarser poem on some level, but this one thrives in translation, without the obtuse historical allusions that some more “elegant” poems are choked with.
The line that begins with “The clear moon came out to the mountain pass…” seems to personify a messenger who suggests that the journey upwards alone must continue now. The fact that it arrived through a thatched gate implies its inevitability.
Perhaps a coarser poem on some level, but this one thrives in translation, without the obtuse historical allusions that some more “elegant” poems are choked with.
Funny that you didn’t like it. In terms of translation it’s been one of my most enjoyable reads thus far amongst the various selections.