月下独酌 (Yuè xià dúzhuó), “Drinking Alone Under the Moon” is a poem by Lĭ Bái - the Táng poet from yesterday - here in a beautiful translation by John Derbyshire. Read aloud to get the rhythm right! Among the flowers with wine beneath the sky Alone I drink — no friend or kin, just me I raise my cup to toast the moon on high That's two of us; my shadow makes it three Alas, the poor moon knows not wine's delight My shadow follows like a living thing At last with moon and shadow I unite In joyful bond, to seize the last of spring I sing: it sets the moon to rock in time I dance: my shadow cannot hold its place Sober, we share companionship sublime; Drunk at last, we drift apart in space -- Lost to worldly things, until some day We'll meet again, beyond the Milky Way Cheers! British Museum
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