The Selected Poems of Li Po

Rating:
Summary: A Tang Dynasty Dylan Thomas
Review: A good book that could have been better. It does not provide a Chinese text. Besides this, more extensive notes would have been useful. For example, in "Ch'ang-Kan Village Song," the wife says, "I'm not saying I'd go far to meet you, no further than Ch'ang-feng Sands." It would have been nice to know that Ch'ang-Kan was about two hundred miles downstream from Ch'ang-feng Sands. More serious is that note to the poem that states Ezra Pound "translated" this poem. Actually, Ezra Pound could not read Chinese when he wrote his version of the poem, but relied upon the writings of Ernest Fenollosa, who also could not read Chinese and relied upon Japanese scholars. Despite all this, the book does provide an enjoyable glimse of a Tang dynasty Dylan Thomas (at least as far as wine goes).

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Summary: Li Po is the real deal!
Review: Li Po fits perfectly into the modern class of poor sensitive vagabonds (Hamsun, Celine, Fante, Bukowski) and is sort of their Prince (because obviously the King is Catullus). His influence on just about everything is so obvious after you read these poems, and they are some of the most beautiful things ever put onto paper. Ezra Pound was a large fan and in fact translated some of his work. Anyone who buys this book should thank God they did, otherwise they are a sinner!!!

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Summary: TRULY THE MOST POWERFUL CHINESE POET OF THE LAST 1000 YEARS
Review: Li Po( a.k.a. Le Pih, Ly Pe, Li Tai-pe) brandishes a simple albeit powerful elegance with his gift of the written word.Bringing to mind the vast panoramic expanses and the soothing beauty of ancient China he will transport you to a splendid land of dreams.In his verse you will be reminded that mankind of all nationalities still relive the same emotions, the same issues over 1000 years later.Delicate and fragile as the cherry blossom in places, tainted and grotesque as a Foo dog in others. I don't own this particular copy. My copy was published in 1928 and translated by Shigeyoshi Obata. It also is more inclusive of Li Po's work. Reading from it always sends an electric thrill through my nerves. Truly one of the Earth's greatest poets ever to breath. "I saw the moonlight before my couch, And wondered if it were not the frost on the ground. I raised my head and looked out on the mountain moon; I bowed my head and thought of my far-off home."

Rating:
Summary: TRULY THE MOST POWERFUL CHINESE POET OF THE LAST 1000 YEARS
Review: Li Po( a.k.a. Le Pih, Ly Pe, Li Tai-pe) brandishes a simple albeit powerful elegance with his gift of the written word.Bringing to mind the vast panoramic expanses and the soothing beauty of ancient China he will transport you to a splendid land of dreams.In his verse you will be reminded that mankind of all nationalities still relive the same emotions, the same issues over 1000 years later.Delicate and fragile as the cherry blossom in places, tainted and grotesque as a Foo dog in others. I don't own this particular copy. My copy was published in 1928 and translated by Shigeyoshi Obata. It also is more inclusive of Li Po's work. Reading from it always sends an electric thrill through my nerves. Truly one of the Earth's greatest poets ever to breath. "I saw the moonlight before my couch, And wondered if it were not the frost on the ground. I raised my head and looked out on the mountain moon; I bowed my head and thought of my far-off home."

Rating:
Summary: A MUST For Poetry Fans
Review: This review is meant for those who may not read a lot of poetry or are still wondering about this book after reading other reviews.

Simply put, Li Po was so good, that he was even thought of as god like. He and Tu Fu are thought of as the greatest eastern poets that have ever lived, and being that they both lived around 700 AD that is very high praise. His words are moving and deeply stirring, and though he lived in such an isolated area so very long ago, his words still have great meaning now, no matter where your from or what your culture.

Filled with Zen and philosophy, this book is a great way of spending the day.

"The birds have vanished from the sky, and now the last clouds slip away. We sit alone, the mountain and I, until only the mountain remains."

A great painter, that leaves you thinking. Get this book!

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Summary: Li Po - An Introduction
Review: To order to understand Zen beyond the rhelm of Westernized Bhuddism (and I except only Kerouac's Dharma Bums from this stigma based solely on my belief in it's sardonic tone), one would not err greatly by beginning with Li Po. This translation is straightford enough that the literal meaning of the poems is no issue, yet not so simple as to purge them of complexity. Li Po's poetry sets a challenge before any reader to re-analysize the direction of their life and the value of their concerns - not a challenge that can necessarily be accepted, but a challenge nonetheless. A challenge to understand why he lived and died for the moon.