I must fight you now! "Li He celebrates the wine as part of banquet which includes rich foods, music, and a luxurious setting. Li Bai tells us that the music and food are worthless, and all expensive possessions should be sold off for drink." https://tangpoetry.substack.com/p/bring-in-the-wine-li-he-style But good call on Ianucci to direct The Death of Huizong.
I'm probably falling victim to my general feeling of "meh" about Li Bai -- although his "Bring in the Wine!" becomes more interesting if you imagine him tiredly singing it for his supper as part of a performance he's very sick of giving. I do think the Li He poem is weirder, though, in typical Li He we-were-just-outside-Chang'an-when-the-drugs-began-to-take-hold fashion -- everything starts off OK, but the colors are just a bit too saturated, the volume just a bit too loud, and out of the corner of his eye he can see everyone's face melting away and revealing the grinning skulls beneath.
These poems are Kick-Ass. My favorite line is: "Leave the racing to the rats —
That game’s too mean and I wouldn’t play."
Among many others. This is great stuff. And I believe you're correct, they would make spectacular jumps to the large screen!
great read, thank you for this work!
good stuff
I must fight you now! "Li He celebrates the wine as part of banquet which includes rich foods, music, and a luxurious setting. Li Bai tells us that the music and food are worthless, and all expensive possessions should be sold off for drink." https://tangpoetry.substack.com/p/bring-in-the-wine-li-he-style But good call on Ianucci to direct The Death of Huizong.
I'm probably falling victim to my general feeling of "meh" about Li Bai -- although his "Bring in the Wine!" becomes more interesting if you imagine him tiredly singing it for his supper as part of a performance he's very sick of giving. I do think the Li He poem is weirder, though, in typical Li He we-were-just-outside-Chang'an-when-the-drugs-began-to-take-hold fashion -- everything starts off OK, but the colors are just a bit too saturated, the volume just a bit too loud, and out of the corner of his eye he can see everyone's face melting away and revealing the grinning skulls beneath.
These are amazing!
Brilliant as always.