22 Comments
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C.J. Heck's avatar

This was a first for me, Michael. I enjoyed many of these interpretations today. Thank you for your instruction --I am learning. I am learning.

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Michael R. Burch's avatar

And what better way to learn, than through poetry?

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C.J. Heck's avatar

Poetry, yes. And with a good teacher, Right-O?

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Michael R. Burch's avatar

I don't think of myself as a teacher, but as a fellow scholar sharing information.

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C.J. Heck's avatar

How does that saying go? “A rose by any other name is still a rose.”

Hmmm, I don’t think of myself as a scholar either. Let’s just say, “Two friends sharing information …”

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Michael R. Burch's avatar

I like "two friends sharing information" so let's go with that.

But if you study information and think about it, that makes you a scholar!

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C.J. Heck's avatar

I thought scholars were highly educated and well respected folk with a trail of alphabet letters after their name.

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Martin Mc Carthy's avatar

Good morning, Mike, This it a great post and I really enjoyed it, so I restacked Li Bai - being short and profound enough to attract attention - with this note:

This is a truly great post with real poetic gems from all around the world, translated into modern English by Michael R. Burch, who is a terrific poet in his own right. This is his translation of Li Bai:

Zazen on Ching-t’ing Mountain

Now the birds have deserted the sky

and the last cloud slips down the drains.

We sit together, the mountain and I,

until only the mountain remains.

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Michael R. Burch's avatar

Martin, I'm glad you like my latest post. I thought I would try to get to the "best of the best" translations a bit more economically, for those with limited time to read.

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Tom Merrill's avatar

The one you picked conveys an atmosphere of utter desertion. Zazen could be the last human on the planet. Its power is in the starkness of its rendering. Barest of sketches--without a superfluous particle. Here today, gone tomorrow. Sharp selection.

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Michael R. Burch's avatar

Yes, a strong conveyance of the starkness and barrenness of approaching death, which we all face alone in the end.

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Tom Merrill's avatar

It is whittled to the barest essence. Thus its power. Its deep resonance. It can even evoke suicide. Could even be a suicide's farewell note. Winter is coming and he's not moving.

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Michael R. Burch's avatar

Yes, and perhaps he has nowhere to go, since no one can escape death.

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Tom Merrill's avatar

Or maybe he's inviting the inevitable. Quite a vivid sketch, anyway.

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Michael R. Burch's avatar

Yes, sparse but vivid.

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