Friday, July 07, 2006

poetic lie-sense

Warning: content of entry may induce sleep or total miscomprehension in some.

After a scrumptious steam-boat dinner on Mon, I engaged in some mad entertainment - completing the 'poem'. Not just any made-up poetry, but seriously of the 唐诗宋词 nature! One person would quote a verse from an ancient chinese poem, while the challengee has to respond with the correct corresponding verse. Loser has to eat a spoonful of ice-cream, which is supposedly punishment cos we were already bursting from dinner.

Yeah, I know. Told you it was crazy already!

It was hilarious. Cracked my brain in trying to recall all those poems drilled into me from childhood days (ya I was one of those geeky kids who could recite classic cheena poems taught by mummy dearest) or my O Level C. Lit days. And amazingly I can remember quite a few, though the real humiliation laughs came from trying to blatantly 'smoke' my way through when the answer simply eludes me, hiding jus at the edge of my memory. Haha.

Challenger: 孤苏城外寒山寺。。
Bemused: *tinking hard* 夜半钟声。。。。分外明!*collapses in laughter*
Challenger: .....


And there were some instances where I was gleefully quoting more ulu poems, and had to insist very vehemently that I did not make them up myself!


Bemused: 白毛浮绿水。。
Challenger: HUH?!?!
Bemused: Ha! 红掌拨清波! *beams*
Challenger: Whaaat?? Sure or not?!?! *extremely dubious look*


It was a weird kind of fun. :p

And I can't believe I'm saying this, but at one point, I actually missed my C. Lit texts! Can still remember how much I suffered cramming for the damn paper man.. *shudders*

Some poems that I really like or remember fondly.. Oh, just in case you're interested, you can visit
this site to find out the meaning of these poems - simply type in the title, or a verse in the search bar will do the trick. :)


《枫桥夜泊》 - 张继

月落乌啼霜满天,
江枫渔火对愁眠。
姑苏城外寒山寺,
夜半钟声到客船。


《咏鹅》 - 骆宾王

鹅 鹅 鹅,
曲 项 向 天 歌。
白 毛 浮 绿 水,
红 掌 拨 清 波。


《乐游园》 - 李商隐

向晚意不适,
驱车登古原。
夕阳无限好,
只是近黄昏。


《武陵春》 - 李清照

风住生香花已尽,日晚倦梳头。
物是人非事事休,欲语泪先流。
闻说双溪春尚好,也拟泛轻舟。
只恐双溪舴艋舟,载不动许多愁。


《无题》 - 李清照

相见时难别亦难,东风无力百花残。
春蚕到死丝方尽,蜡炬成灰泪始干。
晓镜但愁云鬓改,夜吟应觉月光寒。
蓬山此去无多路,青鸟殷勤为探看。

Oh, while searching for these beloved poems online, actually came across one that I like very much too! It's about an SAG (Sensitive Ancient Guy) who had been sent to war and misses his wifey very much.. Super romantic if you read the lines! *melts*


《诗 经 · 邶 风· 击 鼓 》

击鼓其镗,踊跃用兵。土国城漕,我独南行。
从孙子仲,平陈与宋。不我以归,忧心有忡。
爰居爰处?爰丧其马?于以求之?于林之下。
死生契阔,与子成说。执子之手,与子偕老。 <--- My fav verse!
于嗟阔兮,不我活兮。于嗟洵兮,不我信兮。


The artistry of these writings are amazing really, if you can understand and appreciate the literary mastery in these. But of course, I know it's not for everyone, so just hope nobody really falls into snooze mood from this entry.

But then again, I know some of my buddies who can probably appreciate what I'm rambling about, like
jyaisu and JazzX. Right, guys?? :)


4 comments:

Ally said...

wow you took chinese lit!??!?!

kudos!!

b.muse said...

haha, it's actually not as cheem as it sounds, really! Just a lot of memorising.

yea I was the ultimate geek - as if studying in a chinese school wasn't enough, had to take c lit at o levels! :p

Anonymous said...

of course I can appreciate!! Miss the days where we have to rattle off 唐诗宋词 like nobody's business. It was tough but fun :)

And remember Lu lao shi?? I only remember her going on and on with me lost in my own thoughts half of the time :p

b.muse said...

Haha ya man.. those were the days..

But she had a hard time from the two incorrigible 'rong' too! Fancy receiving an answer script full of lyrics. :p