Du Fu: A Life in Poetry

ISBN: 0375711600

Author: Du Fu

Condition: New

Du Fu (712-770) is one of the undisputed geniuses of Chinese poetry-still universally admired and read thirteen centuries after his death. Now David Young, author of Black Lab, and well known as a translator of Chinese poets, gives us a sparkling new translation of Du Fus verse, arranged to give us a tour of the life, each chapter of poems preceded by an introductory paragraph that situates us in place, time, and circumstance. What emerges is a portrait of a modest yet great artist, an ordinary man moving and adjusting as he must in troubled times, while creating a startling, timeless body of work.Du Fu wrote poems that engaged his contemporaries and widened the path of the lyric poet. As his society-one of the worlds great civilizations-slipped from a golden age into chaos, he wrote of the uncertain course of empire, the misfortunes and pleasures of his own family, the hard lives of ordinary people, the changing seasons, and the lives of creatures who shared his environment. As the poet chases chickens around the yard, observes tear streaks on his wifes cheek, or receives a gift of some shallots from a neighbor, Youngs rendering brings Du Fus voice naturally and elegantly to life.I sing what comes to mein ways both old and modernmy only audience right now-nearby bushes and treeselegant houses standin an elegant row, too manyif my heart turns to ashesthen thats all right with me . . .from Meandering River