Up the river by the White King City, The water swells and the wind is high. It is May. Through the Chu-tang gorge Who dares to sail down to me now — Down to Ching-chow, where the barley is ripe And the silk worms have made their cocoons — Where I sit and spin, with my thoughts of you Endless as the silken strands? The cuckoo calls high up in the air. Ah, me!
Three poems by Li-Po
Song Cycle by Phyllis Campbell (1891 - 1974)
1. The silk spinner [sung text not yet checked]
Language: English
Text Authorship:
- by Shigeyoshi Obata (1888 - 1971), "The silk spinner", appears in Li Po, the Chinese poet, done into English verse
Based on:
- a text in Chinese (中文) by Li-Tai-Po (701 - 762), "羽州歌" [text unavailable]
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Confirmed with Shigeyoshi Obata, The Works of Li-Po, the Chinese poet ;: done into English verse by Shigeyoshi Obata, London : Dent, 1923, p.105; The White King City is in Ssuchuan. The Chu-tang gorge, situated near Wushan in the same province, is one of the most dangerous spots in the Yangtze kiang. Further down the river and in Hupeh, Ching-chow is located, where the silk spinner awaits her lover.
Researcher for this page: Joost van der Linden [Guest Editor]
2. Sorrow of the Long Gate Palace [sung text not yet checked]
Language: English
The Northern Dipper has turned round in the sky, And now hangs over the west tower. In the Golden House there are none Save the fireflies sailing the gloom, While the moonlight falls Into the Palace of Long Gate, And deepens still more the sorrow of one in the secret bower.
Text Authorship:
- by Shigeyoshi Obata (1888 - 1971), "Sorrow of the Long Gate Palace I", appears in Li Po, the Chinese poet, done into English verse
Based on:
- a text in Chinese (中文) by Li-Tai-Po (701 - 762), "長門怨一" [text unavailable]
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Confirmed with Shigeyoshi Obata, The Works of Li-Po, the Chinese poet; done into English verse by Shigeyoshi Obata, London : Dent, 1923, p.64. Note: the Campbell score has a note as follows:
Lady Chen, who was Queen to Wu-Ti, a Han Emperor, lost his favour and was left in the solitude of the Long Gate Palace to pine alone. The Northern Dipper is Ursa Major, and The Golden House always refers to a palace for women.
Researcher for this page: Joost van der Linden [Guest Editor]
3. The Mirror Lake [sung text not yet checked]
Language: English
The water [of]1 the Mirror Lake Is clear like the moon. The girl of Yeh-chi Has a face white as snow -- Her silvery image Trembles in the silvery ripple.
Text Authorship:
- by Shigeyoshi Obata (1888 - 1971), "The women of Yueh V", appears in Li Po, the Chinese poet, done into English verse
Based on:
- a text in Chinese (中文) by Li-Tai-Po (701 - 762), title 1: "鏡湖水如月", title 2: "越女詞五首"
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View original text (without footnotes)Confirmed with Shigeyoshi Obata, The Works of Li-Po, the Chinese poet ;: done into English verse by Shigeyoshi Obata, London : Dent, 1923, p.52
1 Bliss: "in"Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Joost van der Linden [Guest Editor]
Total word count: 155