Ramblings of an Old Kweer

Returning to one of the poets from the Three Tang Dynasty Poets collection issued as part of the Penguin Classics 80th Anniversary. This caught my eye yesterday morning; think it was the image of the Moon floating that did it. I watched Apollo 13 twice in about thirty-six hours; one of those movies/tv eps that I go to when I need comforting. Of all the lines in it that captures my imagination is Gene Krantz defiantly stating that, "with all due respect, I believe this will be our (NASA's) finest hour."

Anyway this is Night Thoughts Afloat by Tu Fu (Du Fu)

Night Thoughts Afloat

By bent grasses
in a gentle wind
Under straight mast
I'm alone tonight,

And the stars hang
above the broad plain
But moon's afloat
in this Great River:

Oh, where's my name
among the poets?
Official rank?
'Retired for ill-health.'

Drifting, drifting,
what am I more than
A single gull
between sky and earth?



Goddess watch over us all,
'tis ok to be Takei,
Kerk TehKek