Analysis of To Lord Hu
Li Ching Chao 1804 (Jinan, Shandong) – 1155 (Shaoxing, Zhejiang)
We shall not ask for the precious pearl of the Duke of Sui,
nor for the priceless jade disk of Master Ho.
We merely ask for the recent news of our homeland.
The Palace of Spiritual Illumination must be still there,
surrounded by desolation.
What's happened to the stone statues buried deep in the grass,
still guarding the Imperial tombs?
Is it true that our people left behind in the occupied territories
are still planting mulberry trees and hemp?
Is it true that the rear guard of the Barbarians
only patrols the city walls?
This widow's father and grandfather were born in Shantung.
Although they never held high office, their fame spread far and wide.
I remember when they carried on animated discussions
with other scholars by the city gate.
The listeners were so crowded that their sweat fell like rain.
Their offspring crossed the Yangtze River to the South many years ago.
Drifting in the rapids, they mingled with refugees.
I send blood-stained tears to the mountains and rivers of home,
And sprinkle a cup of earth on East Mountain.
I imagine when Your Lordship, His Majesty's envoy, upholding the Imperial spirit,
passes through our two capitals, K'ai Feng and Lo Yang,
Thousands of people would line the streets and present tea and broth
to welcome you....
Announce that the Emperor's heart aches for the suffering people---
they are his own children.
Let them understand that the Will of Heaven remembers all living beings.
Our sagacious Emperor offers his trust which is as brilliant as the sun.
There is no need to negotiate many times after the long chaos of the years.
Scheme | XAXXBXXCXDX EXDXXAC XBXEXX XBXBX |
---|---|
Poetic Form | |
Metre | 111110101101110 11010111101 1101101011101 0101100000101111 0101010 1101011101001 110001001 111110101010010100 111010101 1111011100100 10010101 110100100101 11101110111101 101011101100010 1101010101 01000110111111 1110111010110101 100010110110 11111101001011 01001111110 10101111100100100010010 101101100111011 101101101010101 1101 0110100111010010 111110 110110111001011010 101100101111110101 11111010101100110101 |
Closest metre | Iambic heptameter |
Characters | 1,567 |
Words | 275 |
Sentences | 19 |
Stanzas | 4 |
Stanza Lengths | 11, 7, 6, 5 |
Lines Amount | 29 |
Letters per line (avg) | 44 |
Words per line (avg) | 9 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 318 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 68 |
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on March 05, 2023
- 1:24 min read
- 53 Views
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