I did it!

I actually read an entire book of poetry!

Today I finally finished The Jade Mountain. So what if it took me about 7 months to get through 180 pages of ancient Chinese poetry? I think this is the first book of poetry I've read since compulsory college stuff....but I stuck it out. Now I can call myself part of that elite group who reads poetry.

I'm not very good at it. I have to admit that some of the poetry really didn't make sense (probably due to cultural changes, etc). Also, I have trouble with the longer pieces. They require too much thought, and I'm a lazy reader. I think 14 lines is near my upper limit.

Interestingly enough this book had a lot of I miss you, dude poems, along with many other When are we going to get together and get drunk, dude? poems.* I don't really think there's much prevalence of that in modern poetry, but who am I to judge?

There were a goodly number of still-relevant, poignant poems as well. However, I think I'm going to have to re-read the thing again and then use tabs to mark the ones I really like.

....What are the lives of angels but dreams
If they take no lovers into their rooms?
Li Shang-yin

*worded more felicituously, of course