Canto XLIX Analysis

For the seven lakes, and by no man these verses:
Rain; empty river; a voyage,
Fire from frozen cloud, heavy rain in the twilight
Under the cabin roof was one lantern.
The reeds are heavy; bent;
and the bamboos speak as if weeping.

Autumn moon; hills rise about lakes
against sunset
Evening is like a curtain of cloud,
a blurr above ripples; and through it
sharp long spikes of the cinnamon,
a cold tune amid reeds.
Behind hill the monk's bell
borne on the wind.
Sail passed here in April; may return in October
Boat fades in silver; slowly;
Sun blaze alone on the river.

Where wine flag catches the sunset
Sparse chimneys smoke in the cross light

Comes then snow scur on the river
And a world is covered with jade
Small boat floats like a lanthorn,
The flowing water closts as with cold. And at San Yin
they are a people of leisure.

Wild geese swoop to the sand-bar,
Clouds gather about the hole of the window
Broad water; geese line out with the autumn
Rooks clatter over the fishermen's lanthorns,

A light moves on the north sky line;
where the young boys prod stones for shrimp.
In seventeen hundred came Tsing to these hill lakes.
A light moves on the South sky line.

State by creating riches shd. thereby get into debt?
This is infamy; this is Geryon.
This canal goes still to TenShi
Though the old king built it for pleasure

.: Pound :.

With a flair for eastern style, Pound gives us a view of the lakes and rivers in this oriental setting. The idea is that the river is life itself. As the seasons change, Pound gives a description of how life also changes.
"Behind the monk's bell, born on the wind"
"Where wine flag catches the sunset
Sparse chimneys smoke in the crosslight."

"A light moves on the north sky line;
where young boys prod stones for shrimp"

In the last stanza, Pound reinforces the value of the river.
"State by creating riches, thereby get into debt?"

He shows the longing of the people who live here to be a simple life, enjoying the beauty and sustenance of the river and lakes.


| Posted on 2004-11-30 | by nansofast