Song of Qiupu

Introducion:

This poem is a typical example of Li Bai's artistic style of romanticism. Although it is only a common occurrence that worry brings on grey hair, the poem about grey hair is of special magic as it uses extraordinary hyperbole and metaphor.   

 

Text:

秋浦歌

李白（唐）

 

bái fà sān qiān zhàng， yuán chóu sì gè cháng。

白  发 三   千    丈 ，    缘      愁   似 个   长 。

bù zhī míng jìng lǐ， hé chù dé qiū shuāng。

不 知  明     镜  里， 何 处  得   秋    霜 。

 

Song of Qiupu

Li Bai(Tang)

 

To thousands of metres grows the white hair,

Why in my heart are there sorrows so deep?

With grief I wonder, into the mirror as I peep,

From whence sneaks in such autumn frost of care!

 

Comment

This poem is a typical example of Li Bai's artistic style of romanticism. Although it is only a common occurrence that worry brings on grey hair, the poem about grey hair is of special magic as it uses extraordinary hyperbole and metaphor. The first line lets down the three thousand metre white hair like a pouring cascade with a sweeping force. Then the question expresses the poet's untold worries. What stirs his emotions is doubt upon doubt how could my hair have grown to thousands of meters? What kind of care and worry has turned it white? Looking into the mirror, the poet incredulously asks himself, "where does the frosty hair sneak from?" This makes one wonder, ponder, and worry. At this point the poem stops short and the reader's heart is deeply touched by the intense appeal of the poem.